Earth Sun ID: 2391

Magnetosphere II: The Solar Wind Strikes Back!

Visualizations by Tom Bridgman Released on March 1, 2002

A view of a computer-generated model of the Earth's magnetosphere. Semi-transparent surfaces represent particle density (red is high, blue is low), the silvery tube represent magnetic field lines and the yellow ribbons represent the paths of charged solar wind particles. In this particular model, the solar wind has an ambient density of 8.35 particles/cm^3. The isosurfaces are then red (> 17 particles/cm^3), yellow (> 12 particles/cm^3), green (> 8.6 particles/cm^3) and blue (< 1.0 particle/cm^3).

A profile view of the magnetosphere. The Sun would be located to the left. Lines from the Earths magnetic field are stretched out behind the Earth to form the magnetotail.

A view of the magnetosphere on the sunward side. The interaction of the solar wind with the field and particles compresses this region to form a shield-like structure.

A closer view of the Earth inside the magnetosphere. The field lines do not reach the Earth due to the boundary of the computational model.

Visualization Credits

Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Horace Mitchell (NASA/GSFC): Animator
Eric Sokolowsky (GST): Animator
Dan Spicer (NASA/GSFC): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/2391

Data Used:

3D Unstructured-mesh Magnetosphere Simulation

Model

Model generated by Dan Spicer, NASA

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This item is part of this series:
Magnetosphere

Keywords:
SVS >> Earth
SVS >> Geomagnetic Field
SVS >> HDTV
SVS >> Magnetosphere
SVS >> Solar Wind
DLESE >> Space science
NASA Science >> Earth
NASA Science >> Sun