Interplanetary magnetic field

As interplanetary magnetic field (English interplanetary magnetic field, IMF ) is defined as the magnetic field is measured in the solar system beyond the direct control of the planet.

The magnetic field of the quiet Sun as a dipole with the third power of the distance weaker. Near the Earth's orbit has a thickness of 10-11 T would be expected. In fact, it measures about 100 times larger fields of 1-10 nT. The reason is the heliospheric current sheet and the related solar wind, the magnetic fields leads as an electrically conductive plasma with it. He interacts with the magnetic fields of planets like Earth and Jupiter and limits their magnetospheres by a shock front. There is evidence of a similar boundary of the heliosphere with a similar structure of the heliopause, plasma layer ( magneto heath ) and shock wave on the border of interstellar space.

The study of such interactions of plasmas and magnetic ( and electric ) fields is done in the framework of magnetohydrodynamics.