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Formation of the Magnetosphere 1. Solar Wind. Formation of the Magnetosphere 2. Magnetosheath. Solar Wind. Bow Shock. Formation of the Magnetotail. . . E SW. J TAIL. Magnetopause. J MP. . . . . Magnetosheath. Solar Wind. Interplanetary Magnetic Field. Bow Shock.
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Formation of the Magnetosphere 1 Solar Wind
Formation of the Magnetosphere 2 Magnetosheath Solar Wind Bow Shock
Formation of the Magnetotail ESW JTAIL Magnetopause JMP Magnetosheath Solar Wind Interplanetary Magnetic Field Bow Shock
Southward IMF (opposite to BEARTH at Equator) Reconnection at or near dayside subsolar magnetopause Open magnetic field lines Open field lines unwind over poles, stretched out along tail magnetopause and added to tail (J.E < 0) Solar wind plasma can enter magnetosphere along open field. Foot dragged slowly through the ionosphere Reconnection plasma jets (J.E > 0) Solar wind mass, momentum and energy transferred to magnetopshere (and ionosphere), stored as magnetic energy in magnetotail. Reconnection between open lobe field lines at cross-tail current sheet Closed magnetic field lines IMF magnetic field lines Reconnection plasma jets (J.E > 0) Convects back to dayside Convects back to solar wind