Lagrangian coherent structures in space plasmas

Space plasmas can be described as conducting flows in a turbulent state, where fluid motion is determined by a host of kinetic and magnetic coherent structures of different types. Identifying and following the evolution of those structures is crucial for a deep understanding, and possibly, the forecasting of plasma behaviour. Lagrangian coherent structures constitute a recently devised theory to describe material transport in fluids, with mathematical approaches carefully developed to detect the main transport barriers responsible for controlling fluid flows. In this work, we review the application of this theory to space plasmas using numerical simulations and satellite observations. In particular, the results show that Lagrangian coherent structures can be used to better understand complex plasma phenomena in the solar atmosphere.