INTRO: PLASMA
 MAGNETISM
 SOLAR WIND
 CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS (CMEs)
 SOLAR FLARES
 DYSTOPIA
 MAGNETOSPHERE
 INTERACTION
 ATMOSPHERE
 COLORS
 DETECTION
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOLAR AND TERRESTRIAL MAGNETIC FIELD LINES

I didn't realize that the solar particles are still being carried on the same expanding solar magnetic fields of their so-called "release."  When I read about CMEs and similar loops of matter released from sunspots, I assumed that solar magnetic reconnection below meant that the particles broke free of any solar field lines.  Not true.  They are still being borne on the same solar magnetic field lines.  The ORIENTATION of these solar field lines have a large effect on how and where magnetic reconnection takes place in earth's magnetosphere and the patterns of particles tumbling into our ionosphere.  The orientation also has a significant impact on whether our magnetosphere is breached and becomes loaded with plasma. [24]

Earth's magnetosphere (and perhaps its gravitational fields) are the first terrestrial force that the solar particles interact with.  They are far, far beyond what we would call our atmosphere, since the outer layer of the thermosphere is about 370 miles out.  [25]  Usually our outer magnetic fields extend around 43,500 miles out.  [26] Our satellites are in this netherland, embedded in our exosphere:  geosynchronous orbit is at 22,236 miles. 

Common Solar Terrestrial Magnetic Planes
 yz plane
 Usually, the released particles on solar magnetic fields are approaching on an east-west axis (xy plane) and hit roughly north-south terrestrial magnetic field lines (xz plane).  The combined magnetic field lines due to reconnection break in a yz plane.





MetEd/Comet   
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/hao/aurora/aurora1.htm
(free membership; Physics of the Aurora - Earth Systems; Magnetosphere Section 2.1)


The orientation of the solar magnetic fields bearing the particles has a dramatic effect upon the resultant ionosphere convection patterns, thus part of the patterns of the aurora. Westward IMF
 Eastward IMF
 Northward IMF
 Southward IMF








MetEd/Comet   
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/hao/aurora/aurora1.htm
(free membership; Physics of the Aurora - Earth Systems; Magnetosphere Section 2.2)		 w convection
 e convection
 n convection
 s convection


Orientation and reconnection is an active area of research.  NASA's 2007-2010 Themis Mission scientists were surprised to witness a northward IMF in 2008 open an X-point breach that was four times wider than earth, letting solar plasma pour into our magnetosphere.  Previously, southward IMFs were thought to be the most nefarious.  [24]  The MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale) mission just launched this past month on March 12, 2015 to capture data from such reconnections in 3-D. This will help us understand reconnection throughout the galaxy, and help understand our local space weather, as well as possible applications for fusion:
                                                                  Science at NASA