The Grad-Shafranov reconstruction technique: overview, improvements and analysis

Heliospheric magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) are usually considered to be the magnetic structures in the solar wind confining plasma in a static or dynamic equilibria. They are also associated with the internal structure of the Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), the main drivers of geomagnetic activity. In the Heliosphere, MFRs can be described as straight axial-symmetric geometry with a variation with radius and angle of pressure and magnetic field.

Several missions such as STEREO or Solar Orbiter provide in-situ measurements of such magnetic structures. A well-known method to analyse them is the Grad-Shafranov reconstruction technique. In this article we provide a detailed overview, review of its variations and improvements and analysis of new events using this technique. Both quantitative and qualitative classification of such MFRs is done according to its orientation, shape and magnetic field and pressure profiles.

Based on the flux rope model described by Nieves-Chinchilla et al. (2018), we also investigate the physical characteristics and the underlying basic equilibrium state.