magnetopausen.
/maɡˈniːtə(ʊ)pɔːz/, U.S. /mæɡˈˌnɛdəˈˌpɔz/, /mæɡˈˌnidəˈˌpɔz/, /mæɡˈˌnɛdəˈˌpɑz/, /mæɡˈˌnidəˈˌpɑz/ Astronomy.
The outer limit of the magnetosphere of a planet.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > [noun] > specific regions of > boundaries between regions
tropopause1919
stratopause1946
mesopause1950
turbopause1951
magnetopause1963
plasmapause1966
1963 Sonett & Abrams in Jrnl. Geophysical Res. 68 1243/2 We call the region discussed in this paper the magnetopause (the transition region between the magnetosphere proper and the interplanetary medium).
1969 Physics Bull. Feb. 54/1 The third spacecraft..is intended to investigate the ‘solar wind’ of low energy protons and electrons together with the geomagnetic cavity or magnetopause, where these particles are just in balance with the earth's magnetic field.
1971 I. G. Gass et al. Understanding Earth xviii. 259/2 The solar wind protons are reflected at the magnetopause, and so never enter the magnetosphere.
1992 Astron. Now July 46/1 The discovery of a magnetopause, a region where the magnetic field drops essentially to zero, was a unique achievement for Giotto.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1963