magnetopause

[mag-nee-tuh-pawz]

noun

Astronomy.

1. the boundary between the earth's magnetosphere and interplanetary space, about 40,000 miles (65,000 km) above the earth, marked by an abrupt decrease in the earth's magnetic induction.

2. a similar feature of some other planet.

Word History and Origins

Origin of magnetopause¹

First recorded in 1960–65; magneto- + pause

Example Sentences

Thus reconnection at Earth's magnetopause can cause destructive space weather that can damage satellites, threaten the health of astronauts, and disrupt communications and energy grids on the surface.

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In 6 months they made 4000 passes through the magnetopause.

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As the MMS team reports today in Science, instead of the turbulent swirling of electrons that some theorists had predicted, researchers found that the electrons moved in a more concerted way, meandering back and forth across the magnetopause.

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Earth’s magnetopause “is the only place you can do this,” Burch says.

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That phenomenon occurs where opposing magnetic fields from different sources meet, such as at the magnetopause, the boundary in space at which the sun’s field pushes against the Earth’s.

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