solar wind

American  

noun

1. an emanation from the sun's corona consisting of a flow of charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, that interacts with the magnetic field of the earth and other planetary bodies.

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solar wind British  

/ wɪnd /

noun

1. the constant stream of charged particles, esp protons and electrons, emitted by the sun at high velocities, its density and speed varying during periods of solar activity. It interacts with the earth's magnetic field, some of the particles being trapped by the magnetic lines of force, and causes auroral displays See also Van Allen belt magnetosphere

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solar wind Scientific  

1. A continuous stream of plasma ejected by the Sun, flowing outward from the corona. This plasma, which consists mostly of protons and electrons, has enough energy to escape the Sun's gravitational field at speeds ranging from about 300 to 800 km (186 to 496 mi) per second and averaging 1,610,000 km (1,000,000 mi) per hour, which allows the solar wind to reach Earth in about 3.9 days. The speed and intensity of the solar wind depends on magnetic activity at different regions of the Sun. The solar wind spreads out from the Sun in a pinwheel pattern as a result of the Sun's rotation, pushing back the interstellar medium to the boundary known as the heliopause. The tails of comets, which always extend away from the Sun regardless of the direction of the comet's motion, are a result of the impact of solar wind, which dislodges ice and other particles from the comet's surface. Similar winds flowing from other stars are called stellar winds.

2. See also aurora

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solar wind Cultural  

1. A stream of particles (mostly protons) emitted by the sun and permeating the solar system.

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Discover More

Particularly strong bursts of particles can penetrate the upper atmosphere and disrupt radio communications on Earth.

Etymology

Origin of solar wind

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

solar wind

Rapid expansion of electricity grids in China, India and other developing countries has supercharged the adoption of solar, wind and batteries globally over the past 15 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

The new findings support a longstanding theory that the rapid rotation of massive planets such as Saturn can become more important than the solar wind in shaping their magnetospheres.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026

The majority of the assets are to be developed solar, wind and battery storage projects in Italy, the U.K. and Spain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

This leaves the planet's upper atmosphere exposed, allowing the solar wind to knock atmospheric particles away and carry them into space.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

For Saturn as for Jupiter, the magnetic field captures and accelerates the charged particles of the solar wind.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan