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Earth's Bow Shock in the Solar Wind


Date: 20 June 2006
Depicts: Illustration of Earth's bow shock
Copyright: ESA

Sketch of the Earth's magnetosphere (in blue), embedded in the solar wind flow. Due to the interaction of the permanent incoming solar wind (coming from the left of the figure) with the Earth's magnetosphere, a permanent collisionless shock called a bow shock (yellow arc) is formed in front of the nose of the magnetopause, the external boundary layer of the magnetosphere.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
17-Mar-2026 06:35 UT

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