The solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system

The solar wind, magnetosphere, and ionosphere form a single system driven b y the transfer of energy and momentum from the solar wind to the magnetosph ere and ionosphere. Variations in the solar wind can Lead to disruptions of space- and ground-based systems caused by enhanced currents flowing into t he ionosphere and increased radiation in the near-Earth environment. The co upling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere is mediated and control led by the magnetic field in the solar wind through the process of magnetic reconnection. Understanding of the global behavior of this system has impr oved markedly in the recent past from coordinated observations with a const ellation of satellite and ground instruments.