Flux transfer event
Formation
Earth's magnetosphere and the
Simulations
Since Cluster and THEMIS have directly sampled FTEs, scientists can
Flux transfer events beyond Earth
Magnetic fields similar to Earth's are common throughout known space and many undergo similar flux transfer events. During its second flyby of the planet on October 6, 2008, the NASA probe MESSENGER discovered that Mercury’s magnetic field shows a magnetic reconnection rate ten times higher than Earth's. Mercury's proximity to the Sun only accounts for about a third of the reconnection rate observed by MESSENGER and the cause of this discrepancy is not currently known.[1]
Most recently, it has been found that the same phenomenon, also known as a 'magnetic rope', can be observed at Saturn. The findings prove that at times Saturn "behaves and interacts with the Sun in much the same way as Earth".[2]
See also
References
- ^ "NASA - Magnetic Tornadoes Could Liberate Mercury's Tenuous Atmosphere". Archived from the original on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
- ^ "Magnetic Rope observed for the first time between Saturn and the Sun". 6 July 2016.