solar wind

noun

1. an emanation from the sun's corona consisting of a flow of charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, that interacts with the magnetic field of the earth and other planetary bodies.

solar wind

/ wɪnd /

noun

1. the constant stream of charged particles, esp protons and electrons, emitted by the sun at high velocities, its density and speed varying during periods of solar activity. It interacts with the earth's magnetic field, some of the particles being trapped by the magnetic lines of force, and causes auroral displays See also Van Allen belt magnetosphere

solar wind

1. A continuous stream of plasma ejected by the Sun, flowing outward from the corona. This plasma, which consists mostly of protons and electrons, has enough energy to escape the Sun's gravitational field at speeds ranging from about 300 to 800 km (186 to 496 mi) per second and averaging 1,610,000 km (1,000,000 mi) per hour, which allows the solar wind to reach Earth in about 3.9 days. The speed and intensity of the solar wind depends on magnetic activity at different regions of the Sun. The solar wind spreads out from the Sun in a pinwheel pattern as a result of the Sun's rotation, pushing back the interstellar medium to the boundary known as the heliopause . The tails of comets, which always extend away from the Sun regardless of the direction of the comet's motion, are a result of the impact of solar wind, which dislodges ice and other particles from the comet's surface. Similar winds flowing from other stars are called stellar winds .
2. See also aurora

solar wind

1. A stream of particles (mostly protons ) emitted by the sun and permeating the solar system .

Notes

Particularly strong bursts of particles can penetrate the upper atmosphere and disrupt radio communications on Earth .

Word History and Origins

Origin of solar wind¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

The new research shows that just as Voyager 2 flew past Uranus, the Sun was raging, creating a powerful solar wind that might have blown the material away and temporarily distorted the magnetic field.

From BBC

In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to pass the heliopause frontier, where the fierce solar wind of subatomic particles yields to the force of other suns.

From New York Times

Despite decades of observations, the sources and mechanisms that release, accelerate and transport solar wind plasma away from the Sun and into our solar system are not well understood -- particularly the slow solar wind.

From Science Daily

A geomagnetic storm happens when energy from solar wind is transferred into the electromagnetic field around Earth.

From Los Angeles Times

A geomagnetic storm happens when energy from solar wind — the high-speed current of atomic particles the sun is constantly flinging into space — is transferred into the electromagnetic field that surrounds Earth.

From Los Angeles Times