More Advanced Topics
Magnetic Acceleration
Magnetic Acceleration occurs when the magnetic field causes the forces affecting a particle to change that particle's velocity.
Magnetic Reconnection
Magnetic reconnection occurs when the magnetic field lines of two different magnetic fields are spliced to one another, changing the topology of the overall magnetic field. The largest explosions in the solar system, solar flares, are an example of magnetic reconnection caused by large systems of magnetic flux on the sun. The most visible example of magnetic reconnection occurs right here on Earth with the northern lights, or aurora borealis, which is caused by Earth’s magnetosphere.
Magnetic Turbulence
Magnetic turbulence occurs when solar wind, which is a constant stream of charged particles resonating from the sun, accesses Earth’s magnetosphere directly, causing turbulence.
The Importance of Studying the Magnetosphere
The magnetosphere protects us from deadly cosmic rays from the sun, deflecting them around Earth into space. It is important that we understand this vital shield, one that is not 100% fail-safe. If the sun were to produce a flare big enough, it would push through the magnetosphere and destroy most if not all of the satellites in we have in Earth orbit. This destruction would severely cripple many nations’ communications and military applications, while at the same time proving extremely expensive to replace.
Links
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/magfie.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/magearth.html#c1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_field
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_%28physics%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_clerk_maxwell
http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/academy/space/bar_magnet.gif
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/iftomf1.gif
http://www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programmes/MRT/mrt.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_reconnection
http://spacenews.dancebeat.info/images/articles/cluster_macro_micro_turbulence_3.jpg
http://www.globalgeografia.com/satellite/mir.jpg
