  Magnetic chiral skyrmions are vortex like spin structures that appear as
stable or meta-stable states in magnetic materials due to the interplay between
the symmetric and antisymmetric exchange interactions, applied magnetic field
and/or uniaxial anisotropy. Their small size and internal stability make them
prospective objects for data storage but for this, the controlled switching
between skyrmion states of opposite polarity and topological charge is
essential. Here we present a study of magnetic skyrmion switching by an applied
magnetic field pulse based on a discrete model of classical spins and atomistic
spin dynamics. We found a finite range of coupling parameters corresponding to
the coexistence of two degenerate isolated skyrmions characterized by mutually
inverted spin structures with opposite polarity and topological charge. We
demonstrate how for a wide range of material parameters a short inclined
magnetic field pulse can initiate the reliable switching between these states
at GHz rates. Detailed analysis of the switching mechanism revealed the complex
path of the system accompanied with the excitation of a chiral-achiral meron
pair and the formation of an achiral skyrmion.
