bow shock

Alternative definitions (1), class: vernacular (0)
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
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