Letter to the Editor

Solar wind induced magnetic field around the unmagnetized Earth

¹ Institut für Astronomie and Astrophysik, Universität München, Scheinerstr 1, 81679 München, Germany
² Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics, Garching, Germany

Corresponding author: G. T. Birk, birk@usm.uni-muenchen.de

Received: 9 February 2004
Accepted: 28 April 2004

Abstract

The Earth is a planet with a dipolar magnetic field which is agitated by a magnetized plasma wind streaming from the Sun. The magnetic field shields the Earth's surface from penetrating high energy solar wind particles, as well as interstellar cosmic rays. The magnetic dipole has reversed sign some hundreds of times over the last 400 million years. These polarity reversals correspond to drastic breakdowns of the dynamo action. The question arises what the consequences for the Earth's atmosphere, climate, and, in particular, biosphere are. It is shown by kinematic estimates and three-dimensional plasma-neutral gas simulations that the solar wind can induce very fast a magnetic field in the previously completely unmagnetized Earth's ionosphere that is strong enough to protect Earth from cosmic radiations comparable to the case of an intact magnetic dynamo.