The coupling of the solar wind to the Earth’s magnetosphere

4.9 Summary

The magnetosphere is a very complex system. Here we have presented some qualitative insight into the coupling of parts of the system with emphasis on those controlled by the solar wind. We still continue to improve our understanding of the magnetosphere with the study of existing databases, with the development of various types of numerical models, and with the development of new and more sophisticated instruments and missions. We have learned much about the magnetosphere in the last half century since the beginning of the International Geophysical Year in 1957. It has been important to do so because our increasingly technological society has moved critical systems into space for monitoring weather, for communnication, and for global monitoring of the health of the planet and the activities of one’s neighbours. It is clear that if we are to use space as much as our present plans foretell, we must continue to improve our understanding of this environment and how it works, and be able to predict its behaviour given knowledge of interplanetary conditions.