Kelvin–Helmholtz Instabilities (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Kelvin–Helmholtz Instabilities

Caption

When the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is oriented westward (dawnward) or eastward (duskward), magnetopause boundary layers at higher latitude become most subject to Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities -- shown here in an artist’s representation as giant swirls.

Credit

Credit: AOES Medialab

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