Thread: Solar wind questions

If the solar wind encounters a moveable magnetic field, what happens? Is it exactly the same as when regular wind hits a moveable object (a momentum collision calculation) or are the magnetic forces of repulsion calculated differently?

Also, I believe the space between Earth and Mars is technically quite hot (somewhere between 100-300C if I'm right), but as there are so few particle collisions, would an object that needed to be kept at a certain temperature require the same amount of cooling as it would on Earth?

Finally, does anybody know the mass/volume density of solar wind around Earth?

Thanks very much.

Solar wind density near Earth: 3-6 atoms per cubic centimeter
Solar wind temperature near Earth: 700C
Solar wind speed near Earth: 700km/s

It may be a little early to bump this, but if anybody does know the answers or knows of a source where I can find them I'd be really grateful.

According to the 2005 edition of the Columbia Encyclopedia: "Near the earth (the solar wind) has a density ranging from 3 to 6 atoms per cc, a velocity of 450 mi (700 km) per sec, and a temperature of about 1,300°F (700°C); during periods of greater sunspot activity it shows corresponding increases in density, temperature, and velocity—reaching speeds of 2 million mph (3.2 million kph)."
Atmo Kivelson, in Introduction to Space Physics. New York: Cambridge University Press. 1995 states: "The Solar Wind has an average density of 7.1 atoms/cm3"

Both of these quotations were obtained here. Curiously this was the third link of a google search I ran on the words "mass/volume density of solar wind around Earth" from your initial request.

As to your first question my gut is telling me to have you google magneto-electro-hydrodynamics. But then my gut can be unreliable.

Well these scientific questions are some where very technical and may be scientists know about it. But for a normal person its very difficult to answer or explain it.

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