Solar System Magnetopauses
| Planet | Number | Magnetic moment | Magnetopause distance | Observed size of the magnetosphere | variance of magnetosphere |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | 1 | 0.0004 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0 |
| Venus | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Earth | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 2 |
| Mars | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jupiter | 5 | 20000 | 42 | 75 | 25 |
| Saturn | 6 | 600 | 19 | 19 | 3 |
| Uranus | 7 | 50 | 25 | 18 | 0 |
| Neptune | 8 | 25 | 24 | 24.5 | 1.5 |
Research on the magnetopause is conducted using the LMN coordinate system (which is set of axes like XYZ). N points normal to the magnetopause outward to the magnetosheath, L lies along the projection of the dipole axis onto the magnetopause (positive northward), and M completes the triad by pointing dawnward.
Venus and Mars do not have a planetary magnetic field and do not have a magnetopause. The solar wind interacts with the planet’s atmosphere and a void is created behind the planet. In the case of the Earth’s moon and other bodies without a magnetic field or atmosphere, the body’s surface interacts with the solar wind and a void is created behind the body.
Read more about this topic: Magnetopause
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