Alternate Definitions for bow shock

exclude archived terms
Term: bow shock
Definition:

A standing shock wave in front of the magnetosphere, arising from the interaction of the supersonic solar wind with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Created 2023.04.16
Last Modified 2023.04.16
Contributed by Ryan McGranaghan
Permalink:
https://n2t.net/ark:/99152/h9767
Term: bow shock
Definition:

The bow shock is a discontinuity that forms in the solar wind when the supersonic solar wind encounters the magnetic field of a planet, very similar to the shock wave that forms upstream of an aircraft moving at a supersonic speed.

Created 2023.04.16
Last Modified 2023.04.16
Contributed by Ryan McGranaghan
Permalink:
https://n2t.net/ark:/99152/h18772