solar wind

solar wind  (wnd)

n.

A stream of high-speed, ionized particles ejected primarily from the sun's corona.

---

solar wind [wɪnd]

n

(Astronomy) 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

---

solar wind

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. See also aurora.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

solar wind - a stream of protons moving radially from the sun interplanetary gas - a rarefied flow of gas and charged particles (plasma) that stream from the sun and form the solar wind interplanetary medium - interplanetary space including forms of energy and gas and dust solar radiation - radiation from the sun