Magnetosphere, Chapter 3 The magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding a planet that houses the dynamo. Earth’s dynamo system consists of the planet, its radiation belts, magnetic field, ring current, and the planet itself. The dynamo gets its energy supply from the solar wind, which comes from the sun. The magnetosphere is distorted by the incoming solar wind on Earth's daylight side like the head of a teardrop. It is stretched out on the night-side like the tail of a teardrop. The magnetic field is near the center of the magnetosphere and is locked with the planet in its rotation. Together the magnetic field and the planet form the core of the dynamo system. They are locked together and make a complete turn every twenty-four hours.  Data and measurements from many space missions show that the Earth's magnetosphere is blown out of shape by the solar wind to form the teardrop shape. The head of the drop extends only about 10 Earth radii, or about 65,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) "upwind" toward the Sun. The tail stretches away in the direction opposite the Sun, reaching beyond the Moon's orbit to a distance of 600,000 kilometers (370,000 miles) from the Earth. Our Solar System, Chapter 2 Magnetosphere, Chapter 3 Radiation Belts, Chapter 4 Magnetic Fields, Chapter 5 Earth’s Dynamo, Chapter 6 Dynamo Systems, Chapter 7 The Sun as a Dynamo, Chapter 8 Auroras Chapter 9 Space Weather Chapter 10 References |