2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/125647Anisotropic penetration of magnetic flux in MgB2 films grown on vicinal sapphire substrates is investigated using magneto-optical imaging. Regular penetration above 10 K proceeds more easily along the substrate surface steps, anisotropy of the critical current being 6%. At lower temperatures the penetration occurs via abrupt dendritic avalanches that preferentially propagate {\em perpendicular} to the surface steps. This inverse anisotropy in the penetration pattern becomes dramatic very close to 10 K where all flux avalanches propagate in the strongest-pinning direction. The observed behavior is fully explained using a thermomagnetic model of the dendritic instability.4 pages, 5 figuresSuperconductivitytext