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The solar wind is observed to exist in two fundamental states, termed the slow solar wind and the fast solar wind, though their differences extend well beyond their speeds. In near-Earth space, the slow solar wind is observed to have a velocity of 300–500 km/s , a temperature of ~ 100 kilokelvin and a composition that is a close match to the ...
Magnetosphere in the near-Earth space environment. The solar wind also carries with it the Sun's magnetic field. This field will have either a North or South orientation. If the solar wind has energetic bursts, contracting and expanding the magnetosphere, or if the solar wind takes a southward polarization, geomagnetic storms can be expected.
The interplanetary magnetic field at the Earth's orbit varies with waves and other disturbances in the solar wind, known as "space weather." The field is a vector, with components in the radial and azimuthal directions as well as a component perpendicular to the ecliptic.
The solar wind is guided by the Sun's magnetic field and hence largely emanates from the polar regions of the Sun; the induced spiral shape of the field causes a drag torque on the poles due to the magnetic tension force. During solar maximum the entire magnetic field of the Sun flips, thus alternating the polarity of the field every solar ...
The latter originates in coronal holes and has radial flow speeds of 450–800 km/s compared to speeds of 250–450 km/s for the slow solar wind. [6] [7] Interactions between fast and slow solar wind streams produce stream interaction regions which, if present after a solar rotation, are referred to as co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs). [8 ...
The solar wind is divided into the slow solar wind and the fast solar wind. The slow solar wind has a velocity of about 400 kilometres per second (250 mi/s), a temperature of 2 × 10 5 K and a composition that is a close match to the corona. The fast solar wind has a typical velocity of 750 km/s, a temperature of 8 × 10 5 K and nearly matches ...
Solar wind turbulence displays both magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and kinetic plasma behaviors. It exhibits Kolmogorov-like power spectra at fluid scales, and shows strong Alfvénic correlations between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations, especially in fast solar wind. It evolves with distance from the Sun as the wind expands.
The radiation emitted by solar wind only reaches the highest layers of the Earth's atmosphere, including the ionosphere. There are however reports of a possible impact on lower layers of the atmosphere. It is recorded that the increase of solar wind during March 2012 in the United States coincided with the heat waves that occurred at the time. [29]