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Cross Helicity of the November 2018 Magnetic Cloud Observed by the Parker Solar Probe

Magnetic clouds are large-scale transient structures in the solar wind with low plasma $β$, low-amplitude magnetic field fluctuations, and twisted field lines with both ends often connected to the Sun. Their inertial-range turbulent properties have not been examined in detail. In this Letter, we analyze the normalized cross helicity, $σ_c$, and residual energy, $σ_r$, of plasma fluctuations in the November 2018 magnetic cloud observed at 0.25 au by the Parker Solar Probe. A low value of $|σ_c|$ was present in the cloud core, indicating that wave power parallel and anti-parallel to the mean field was approximately balanced, while the cloud's outer layers displayed larger amplitude Alfvénic fluctuations with high $|σ_c|$ values and $σ_r\sim0$. These properties are discussed in terms of the cloud's solar connectivity and local interaction with the solar wind. We suggest that low $|σ_c|$ is likely a common feature of magnetic clouds given their typically closed field structure. Anti-sunward fluctuations propagating immediately upstream of the cloud had strongly negative $σ_r$ values.