This chart provides us with real time data and information regarding the solar wind. The data is collected by the Advanced Composition Explorer, also known as the ACE Spacecraft. It is strategically positioned between the Sun and Earth at a distance of 1.5 million kilometers away from our planet near the L1 Lagrange point. Because the spacecraft is located in between the Sun and Earth, it can be used as an early warning system for a pending incoming CME impact within a few hours. These shockwaves or impacts can sometimes lead to geomagnetic storming around Earth.
Example of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) detected by ACE
What is the solar wind?
The solar wind is a stream of charged particles which are ejected from the upper atmosphere of the sun. It consists mostly of high-energy electrons and protons that are able to escape the sun's gravity in part because of the high temperature of the corona and the high kinetic energy particles gain through a process that is not well understood at this time.
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