SOLAR WIND

Charged particles from the Sun, constantly streaming outward through the solar system, distort the geomagnetic field. This solar wind in effect “blows” the field out of shape. On the side of the Earth facing the Sun, the field is compressed; on the side of the Earth opposite the Sun, the field is stretched out. This effect occurs with the magnetic fields around the other planets, too, notably Jupiter.
As the Earth rotates, the geomagnetic field does a complex twist-andturn dance into space in the direction facing away from the Sun. At and near the Earth’s surface, the field is nearly symmetrical with respect to the geomagnetic poles. As the distance from the Earth increases, the extent of geomagnetic-field distortion increases.