Currently, sci.esa.int is under review and not being updated. For the latest information and news from ESA science missions and scientific results, please visit esa.int. For a comprehensive overview of ESA’s Science Programme and its missions, please refer to science.esa.int. For in-depth technical information aimed at ESA's scientific communities, you may also wish to consult cosmos.esa.int.

Asset Publisher

Back Types of discontinuity in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field

Types of discontinuity in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field


Date: 25 November 2004
Satellite: Cluster
Depicts: Sketch of types of discontinuity
Copyright: ESA

Left panel: sketch of a rotational discontinuity where the two sides of the discontinuity are magnetically connected, as one component of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field is parallel to n, the normal of the discontinuity plane.

Right panel: sketch of a tangential discontinuity which, by definition, separates two distinct plasmas, indicated by different colour of the B field arrows, both orthogonal to the normal vector.

Last Update: 1 September 2019
20-Apr-2026 15:26 UT

ShortUrl Portlet

Shortcut URL

https://sci.esa.int/s/8zKm51A

Latest Selection

Also Available As

Related Images

Related Videos

Related Publications

Related Links

See Also

Documentation