{
"id": 4188,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4188/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Comparative Magnetospheres: A Noteworthy Coronal Mass Ejection",
"description": "In an effort to understand and predict the impact of space weather events on Earth, the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, routinely runs computer models of the many historical events. These model runs are then compared to actual data to determine ways to improve the model, and therefore forecasts of the impacts of future space weather events.In mid-December of 2006, the Sun erupted with a bright flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) that launched particles Earthward. While not the brightest or largest event observed, its impact on Earth was substantial, requiring some effort to protect satellites (ESA: Reacting to a solar flare).The visualization presented here is a CCMC run of a BATS-R-US model simulating the impact of this event on Earth. Here, lines are used to represent the 'flow direction' of magnetic field of the solar wind impacting Earth, as well as the effects on Earth's geomagnetic field. A 'cut-plane' through the data illustrates the changes in the particle density in the solar wind and magnetosphere. The color of the data represents a logarithmic scaling of density, with red as the highest (1000 particles per cubic centimeter) down to blue (0.01 particles per cubic centimeter). In this simulation, each frame of the movie corresponds to two minutes of real time.In the movie, we see vertical field lines of magnetic field carried by the solar wind, coming in from the left. As this field, and the plasma carrying it, strike Earth's magnetic field, they bend and reconnect, around the Earth. Some field lines actually reconnect to the polar regions of the Earth, providing a ready flow-path for particles to reach the ionosphere and generate aurora. This interaction between the solar wind and the plasma trapped in Earth's magnetosphere also creates a density enhancement between Earth and the solar wind helping to shield Earth from some of the effects. A lower density wake forms behind Earth (the blue region). There is a circular 'hole' around the Earth which is a gap in the model. || ",
"release_date": "2014-09-25T10:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2025-01-05T22:31:29.713646-05:00",
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"filename": "Earth_December2006_Pullout.noslate_GSEmove.HD1080i.0300_print.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This movie opens with a close-up view of Earth with geo-magnetic field lines. The camera pulls out and fades in a profile slice of the plasma density data.This video is also available on our YouTube channel.",
"width": 1024,
"height": 576,
"pixels": 589824
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"main_video": null,
"main_credits": {
"Visualizations by": [
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"name": "Tom Bridgman",
"employer": "Global Science and Technology, Inc."
}
]
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"progress": "Complete",
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"description": "In an effort to understand and predict the impact of space weather events on Earth, the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, routinely runs computer models of the many historical events. These model runs are then compared to actual data to determine ways to improve the model, and therefore forecasts of the impacts of future space weather events.
In mid-December of 2006, the Sun erupted with a bright flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) that launched particles Earthward. While not the brightest or largest event observed, its impact on Earth was substantial, requiring some effort to protect satellites (ESA: Reacting to a solar flare).
The visualization presented here is a CCMC run of a BATS-R-US model simulating the impact of this event on Earth. Here, lines are used to represent the 'flow direction' of magnetic field of the solar wind impacting Earth, as well as the effects on Earth's geomagnetic field. A 'cut-plane' through the data illustrates the changes in the particle density in the solar wind and magnetosphere. The color of the data represents a logarithmic scaling of density, with red as the highest (1000 particles per cubic centimeter) down to blue (0.01 particles per cubic centimeter). In this simulation, each frame of the movie corresponds to two minutes of real time.
In the movie, we see vertical field lines of magnetic field carried by the solar wind, coming in from the left. As this field, and the plasma carrying it, strike Earth's magnetic field, they bend and reconnect, around the Earth. Some field lines actually reconnect to the polar regions of the Earth, providing a ready flow-path for particles to reach the ionosphere and generate aurora. This interaction between the solar wind and the plasma trapped in Earth's magnetosphere also creates a density enhancement between Earth and the solar wind helping to shield Earth from some of the effects. A lower density wake forms behind Earth (the blue region). There is a circular 'hole' around the Earth which is a gap in the model.",
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"caption": "",
"description": "This movie opens with a close-up view of Earth with geo-magnetic field lines. The camera pulls out and fades in a profile slice of the plasma density data.
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"alt_text": "Earth's magnetic field responds differently depending on the intensity of particle radiation from the Sun. Here we compare the magnetosphere's response to a fairly average coronal mass ejection (CME) and a very strong coronal mass ejection.",
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"media_type": "Movie",
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"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004188/Earth_December2006_Pullout.colorbar.HD1080i_p30.mp4",
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"description": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
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"filename": "Earth_December2006_Pullout.noslate.arrows_GSEmove.HD1080i.0300_print.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 1024,
"height": 576,
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"media_type": "Movie",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080,
"pixels": 2073600
}
},
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"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004188/frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/December2006.Pullout.arrows/",
"filename": "December2006.Pullout.arrows",
"media_type": "Frames",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080,
"pixels": 2073600
}
},
{
"id": 288778,
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"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004188/Earth_December2006_Pullout_arrows_1080.webmhd.webm",
"filename": "Earth_December2006_Pullout_arrows_1080.webmhd.webm",
"media_type": "Movie",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 960,
"height": 540,
"pixels": 518400
}
}
],
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"caption": "",
"description": "A profile view of the magnetic field and density data. No pullout from Earth.",
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"filename": "Earth_December2006_Profile_1080.mp4",
"media_type": "Movie",
"alt_text": "A profile view of the magnetic field and density data. No pullout from Earth.",
"width": 1920,
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"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004188/frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/December2006.Profile/",
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"media_type": "Frames",
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"alt_text": "A profile view of the magnetic field and density data. No pullout from Earth.",
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"description": "This movie presents an oblique view of the geo-magnetic field and a vertical slice of density data. This view provides a better look of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field lines as the magnetosphere evolves.",
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"alt_text": "This movie presents an oblique view of the geo-magnetic field and a vertical slice of density data. This view provides a better look of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field lines as the magnetosphere evolves.",
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"alt_text": "This movie presents an oblique view of the geo-magnetic field and a vertical slice of density data. This view provides a better look of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field lines as the magnetosphere evolves.",
"width": 1920,
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"pixels": 2073600
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"alt_text": "This movie presents an oblique view of the geo-magnetic field and a vertical slice of density data. This view provides a better look of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field lines as the magnetosphere evolves.",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080,
"pixels": 2073600
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"alt_text": "This movie presents an oblique view of the geo-magnetic field and a vertical slice of density data. This view provides a better look of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field lines as the magnetosphere evolves.",
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"description": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
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"filename": "Earth_December2006_Oblique.noslate.arrows_GSEmove.HD1080i.0300_print.jpg",
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"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 1024,
"height": 576,
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"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
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"height": 1080,
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"media_type": "Frames",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1080,
"pixels": 2073600
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},
{
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"media_type": "Movie",
"alt_text": "Same movie as above, but a cyan arrow marks the direction of Earth's magnetic pole.",
"width": 960,
"height": 540,
"pixels": 518400
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"description": "Color bar for density data. This colorbar uses the same scale as \"Comparative Magnetospheres: A Carrington-Class CME\" to facilitate comparison.",
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"alt_text": "Color bar for density data. This colorbar uses the same scale as \"Comparative Magnetospheres: A Carrington-Class CME\" to facilitate comparison.",
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"filename": "colorbar_density_print.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "Color bar for density data. This colorbar uses the same scale as \"Comparative Magnetospheres: A Carrington-Class CME\" to facilitate comparison.",
"width": 1024,
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}
],
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"studio": "svs",
"funding_sources": [
"NASA Heliophysics"
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"credits": [
{
"role": "Animator",
"people": [
{
"name": "Tom Bridgman",
"employer": "Global Science and Technology, Inc."
}
]
},
{
"role": "Producer",
"people": [
{
"name": "Genna Duberstein",
"employer": "USRA"
}
]
},
{
"role": "Scientist",
"people": [
{
"name": "Michael Hesse",
"employer": "NASA/GSFC"
}
]
},
{
"role": "Project support",
"people": [
{
"name": "Laurence Schuler",
"employer": "ADNET Systems, Inc."
},
{
"name": "Ian Jones",
"employer": "ADNET Systems, Inc."
}
]
}
],
"missions": [],
"series": [
"Comparative Magnetospheres"
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"tapes": [],
"papers": [],
"datasets": [
{
"name": "BATS-R-US Magnetosphere Model",
"common_name": "",
"platform": null,
"sensor": null,
"type": "Model",
"organizations": [
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],
"description": "MHD Magnetospheric simulation",
"credit": "",
"url": "",
"date_range": "2006/12/14T13:00:00 - 2006/12/15T13:00:00"
}
],
"nasa_science_categories": [
"Sun"
],
"keywords": [
"Coronal Mass Ejections",
"Earth Science",
"Heliophysics",
"Hyperwall",
"Location",
"Magnetosphere",
"magnetotail",
"Solar Activity",
"Solar Wind",
"Space Weather",
"Sun-earth Interactions"
],
"recommended_pages": [],
"related": [
{
"id": 11689,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11689/",
"page_type": "Produced Video",
"title": "Modeling Earth's Magnetism",
"description": "Surrounding Earth is a giant magnetic field called the magnetosphere. Its shape is defined not only by the planet's north and south magnetic poles, but also by a steady stream of particles coming in from the sun called the solar wind. The magnetosphere is buffeted by this wind and can change shape dramatically when the sun lets loose an immense cloud of gas known as a coronal mass ejection. To understand and predict the impact of such space weather events on Earth, the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center routinely runs computer simulations of past eruptions. Solar storms can inflict serious damage on things like power grids and Earth-orbiting satellites. The simulations let scientists estimate the consequences of outbursts of different magnitude, helping us to better plan for the future. Watch the video to learn more. || ",
"release_date": "2014-12-09T11:00:00-05:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:50:14.662182-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 448314,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a011600/a011689/c-1024_print.jpg",
"filename": "c-1024_print.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "Our planet's magnetic field changes shape constantly due to strong winds from the sun.",
"width": 1024,
"height": 576,
"pixels": 589824
}
},
{
"id": 4189,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4189/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Comparative Magnetospheres: A Carrington-Class CME",
"description": "In an effort to understand and predict the impact of space weather events on Earth, the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, routinely runs computer models of the many historical events. These model runs are then compared to actual data to determine ways to improve the model, and therefore forecasts of the impacts of future space weather events.But sometimes we don't have an actual event where we have lots of data for comparison. Extreme space weather events are one example where we must test models with a rather limited set of data.This is a model run used to examine the consequences if a large coronal mass ejection (CME) such as The Carrington-Class CME of 2012 had actual hit Earth. Such model runs allow us to estimate consequences of a large event hitting Earth so we can better protect power grids and satellites.Some of the conclusions from this model run are (documented in the paper linked below):The magnetopause is compressed to the point it is moved inside the orbits of our geosynchronous satellites.Large field-aligned currents are created on the night-side of Earth, generating large ionospheric potentials.At high latitudes, geo-electric fields of 26 volts per kilometer can be generated.For comparison, the geo-electric field of the March 1989 storm which generated an extensive power outage in Canada (Wikipedia) had a value of only about 6 volts per kilometer; and the 2003 Halloween solar storms (see Halloween Solar Storms 2003) generated a field of about 12 volts per kilometer. || ",
"release_date": "2014-09-25T10:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2024-12-29T22:16:09.811536-05:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 452497,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a004100/a004189/Earth_CarringtonClass_Pullout.noslate_GSEmove.HD1080i.0001_print.jpg",
"filename": "Earth_CarringtonClass_Pullout.noslate_GSEmove.HD1080i.0001_print.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This movie opens with a close-up view of Earth with geo-magnetic field lines. The camera pulls out and fades in a profile slice of the plasma density data.",
"width": 1024,
"height": 576,
"pixels": 589824
}
},
{
"id": 11660,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/11660/",
"page_type": "Produced Video",
"title": "Comparing CMEs",
"description": "This video features two model runs. One looks at a moderate coronal mass ejection (CME) from 2006. The second run examines the consequences of a large coronal mass ejection, such as The Carrington-Class CME of 1859. These model runs allow us to estimate consequences of a large event hitting Earth, so we can better protect power grids and satellites.In an effort to understand and predict the impact of space weather events on Earth, the Community-Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, routinely runs computer models of the many historical events. These model runs are then compared to actual data to determine ways to improve the model, and therefore forecasts of future space weather events.Sometimes we need an actual event to have data for comparison. Extreme space weather events are one example where researchers must test models with a rather limited set of data.The vertical lines on the left represent magnetic field lines from the sun. || ",
"release_date": "2014-09-25T09:30:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:50:31.532133-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 451470,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a011600/a011660/carrington720.jpg",
"filename": "carrington720.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASAexplorer YouTube channel.For complete transcript, click here.",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3902,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3902/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "A Coronal Mass Ejection strikes the Earth!",
"description": "Energetic events on the Sun have impacts throughout the Solar System. This visualization, developed for the Dynamic Earth dome show, utilizes data from space weather models based on a real coronal mass ejection (CME) event from mid-December 2003. Particles are used to represent the flow of solar material from the Sun around the Earth. It is important to note that the flowing material of the CME are actually ions and electrons far too small to see. This visualization tries to represent the motions of these tiny particles in a form large enough for us to see. We open with a close-up view of the Earth, the particles representing the solar wind streaming around the Earth due to extended influence of the Earth's magnetic field. We pull out from the Earth and move so that we see the Sun in the distance. The enormous density enhancement in the solar wind is the coronal mass ejection. As the CME reaches the Earth, we see how effective the Earth's magnetic field is at diverting the solar material around the Earth. As the CME passes, we move earthward, and reveal the field lines representing the Earth's magnetic field, emanating from the magnetic poles and blown behind the Earth due to the influence of the solar wind. For simplicity, we have represented the Earth's magnetic field as unchanging, but it is actually very dynamic in its response to a CME or other change in the solar wind. || ",
"release_date": "2012-01-24T00:00:00-05:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:53:19.014318-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 485540,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003900/a003902/cme.00600_web.png",
"filename": "cme.00600_web.png",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This movie shows the particle flow around the Earth as the CME strikes.",
"width": 320,
"height": 180,
"pixels": 57600
}
},
{
"id": 3755,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3755/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "December 2006 Flare from SOHO/EIT and Hinode/XRT",
"description": "This movie shows data of the December 13, 2006 flare event seen by SOHO/EIT (left) and Hinode XRT (right). The field-of-view of the Hinode images is marked with the yellow border on SOHO/EIT.This movie shows the same event as that in Hinode's High-Resolution View of the Sun. || ",
"release_date": "2010-07-23T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:54:08.013547-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 490981,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003700/a003755/EITHinodeSide_stand.HD720p.00400.jpg",
"filename": "EITHinodeSide_stand.HD720p.00400.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This movie is a synchronized view of SOHO/EIT and Hinode/XRT.",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3740,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3740/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Space Weather Event: The View from L1",
"description": "We start from a position 'behind' the Earth, looking towards the Sun. From this position we see the orbit of the Moon as well as three of the heliospheric 'sentinels' (see \"Sentinels of the Heliosphere\"), ACE, SOHO, and Wind patrolling along 'halo orbits' (Wikipedia) around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point, L1.The CME (orange isosurface) erupts, heading towards the Earth. The density enhancement of the CME is visible in slice of data in the Earth's orbit plane which provides a better sense of when the CME actually reaches the Earth.As the particle density enhancement from the CME strikes the Earth, we see the Earth's magnetosphere respond, with the outer, high density surface (red), 'blown away'. This surface location corresponds roughly to the location of the bow shock. The bow shock has not been eliminated, only some of its particles have been depleted, to be carried off in the CME and solar wind. As the densest material of the CME passes (orange surface), plasma from the CME continues to flow by the Earth, stretching the magnetosphere into a long, thin structure behind the Earth.The magnetosphere slowly recovers from the 'impact', and regions that can confine higher particle densities reform - the red surfaces return. But not for long as the rarefaction behind the CME reaches the Earth. This lower density region provides fewer particles to repopulate the magnetosphere and make it easier for particles confined in the magnetosphere to 'leak' out into the solar wind.For the BATS-R-US model, the isosurface colors are: red=20 AMUs per cubic centimeter, yellow=10.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, light blue=1.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, and blue=0.1 AMUs per cubic centimeter. An AMU corresponds to about the mass of a hydrogen atom, the dominant component of the solar wind.This visualization is part of a series of visualizations on space weather modeling. || ",
"release_date": "2010-07-08T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:54:09.007728-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 491354,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003700/a003740/SWL1view.slate_tour.HD720p.0625.jpg",
"filename": "SWL1view.slate_tour.HD720p.0625.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This is the full movie of the CME striking the Earth. ",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3742,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3742/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Space Weather Event: A View from the Orbit Plane",
"description": "We start with a view of the space between the Sun (left) and the Earth (within the small rectangular box on the right), slightly above the ecliptic plane. In the plane of the Earth's orbit, we show a 'slice' of the particle density profile of the solar wind (white to yellow for decreasing particle density). Perpendicular to this, we have another 'slice' of particle density from the Enlil model. The Enlil model extends to 60 degrees above and below the solar equator, and beyond 20 solar radii from the Sun. This gap creates the 'hourglass' empty region around the Sun.The CME (orange surface) erupts in the direction of the Earth. The orange surface represents a boundary of common pressure differences, which better identifies sharp transitions in pressure common in shocks fronts. The CME clears out particles in the region behind it, called a rarefaction (Wikipedia), visible in the particle density.This visualization is part of a series of visualizations on space weather modeling. || ",
"release_date": "2010-07-08T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:54:09.159055-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 491394,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003700/a003742/SWsideViewXZ.slate_tour.HD720p.0086.jpg",
"filename": "SWsideViewXZ.slate_tour.HD720p.0086.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This is the full movie of the CME striking the Earth. ",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3743,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3743/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Space Weather Event: Close-up on the Earth Environment",
"description": "We open with a view from high above the ecliptic plane, at the space between the Sun (left) and the Earth (within the small rectangular box on the right). In the plane of the Earth's orbit, we show a 'slice' of the Enlil model showing the particle density profile of the solar wind (white to yellow for decreasing particle density). The spiral 'rotating water sprinkler' pattern in the density is the Parker spiral (Wikipedia). We zoom down to the Earth as the CME (orange surface) erupts in the direction of the Earth and move into a position above the Earth's orbital plane with the Earth (geospace) environment in view.As the particle density enhancement from the CME strikes the Earth, we see the Earth's magnetosphere respond, with the outer, high density surface (red) 'blown away'. This surface location corresponds roughly to the location of the bow shock. The bow shock has not been eliminated, only some of its particles have been depleted, to be carried off in the CME and solar wind. As the densest material of the CME passes (orange surface), plasma from the CME continues to flow by the Earth, stretching the magnetosphere into a long, thin structure behind the Earth.The magnetosphere slowly recovers from the 'impact', and regions that can confine higher particle densities reform - the red surfaces return. But not for long as the rarefaction (Wikipedia) behind the CME reaches the Earth. This lower density region provides fewer particles to repopulate the magnetosphere and makes it easier for particles confined in the magnetosphere to 'leak' out into the solar wind.For the BATS-R-US model, the isosurface colors are: red=20 AMUs per cubic centimeter, yellow=10.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, light blue=1.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, and blue=0.1 AMUs per cubic centimeter. An AMU corresponds to about the mass of a hydrogen atom, the dominant component of the solar wind.This visualization is part of a series of visualizations on space weather modeling. || ",
"release_date": "2010-07-08T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:54:09.260025-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 491411,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003700/a003743/SWmanysatsB.slate_tour.HD720p.0947.jpg",
"filename": "SWmanysatsB.slate_tour.HD720p.0947.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This is the full movie of the CME striking the Earth. ",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3739,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3739/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Space Weather Event: Incoming View",
"description": "We open with a view from high above the ecliptic plane, at the space between the Sun (left) and the Earth (within the small rectangular box on the right). In the plane of the Earth's orbit, we show a 'slice' of the Enlil model showing the particle density profile of the solar wind (white to yellow for decreasing particle density). The spiral 'rotating water sprinkler' pattern in the density is the Parker spiral (Wikipedia). The nested grid pattern centered on the Earth, provides a sense of scale to the scene. The smallest grid square in the opening view is 1,000 Earth radii on each side. The scale changes by a factor of ten for each step larger or smaller in size.We zoom down to the Earth as the CME (orange surface) erupts in the direction of the Earth, then move into a position behind the Earth with the Sun visible in the distance.As the particle density enhancement from the CME strikes the Earth, we see the Earth's magnetosphere respond, with the outer, high density surface (red) 'blown away'. This surface location corresponds roughly to the location of the bow shock. The bow shock has not been eliminated, only some of its particles have been depleted, to be carried off in the CME and solar wind. As the densest material of the CME passes (orange surface), plasma from the CME continues to flow by the Earth, stretching the magnetosphere into a long, thin structure behind the Earth.The magnetosphere slowly recovers from the 'impact', and regions that can confine higher particle densities reform - the red surfaces return. But not for long as the rarefaction (Wikipedia) behind the CME reaches the Earth. This lower density region provides fewer particles to repopulate the magnetosphere and makes it easier for particles confined in the magnetosphere to 'leak' out into the solar wind.For the BATS-R-US model, the isosurface colors correpond to densities of: red=20 AMUs per cubic centimeter, yellow=10.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, light blue=1.0 AMUs per cubic centimeter, and blue=0.1 AMUs per cubic centimeter. An AMU corresponds to about the mass of a hydrogen atom, so the value roughly corresponds to the number of atoms per cubic centimeter.This visualization is part of a series of visualizations on space weather modeling. || ",
"release_date": "2010-07-06T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2023-05-03T13:54:09.462683-04:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 491331,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003700/a003739/SWincoming.slate_tour.HD720p.0300.jpg",
"filename": "SWincoming.slate_tour.HD720p.0300.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This is the full movie of the CME striking the Earth.",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
},
{
"id": 3411,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3411/",
"page_type": "Visualization",
"title": "Hinode's High-Resolution View of the Sun",
"description": "A new sunspot collided with an existing sunspot which built up a highly sheared magnetic configuration. This resulted in a solar flare on December 13, 2006. || ",
"release_date": "2007-03-22T00:00:00-04:00",
"update_date": "2025-01-05T00:00:30.891560-05:00",
"main_image": {
"id": 508949,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003400/a003411/HinodeGband_stand.HD720p.0000.jpg",
"filename": "HinodeGband_stand.HD720p.0000.jpg",
"media_type": "Image",
"alt_text": "This movie opens with a full solar disk view from SOHO/MDI and zooms into the high-spatial and temporal resolution view from the Hinode SOT G-band filter.",
"width": 1280,
"height": 720,
"pixels": 921600
}
}
],
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}