Interplanetary IMF Magnetic Field Real-Time Live Visualization

This visualization shows magnetic field lines around the Earth based on solar wind data. Each line's:

• Length: Proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field (B_t).
• Color: Indicates field strength (yellow for weak, magenta for strong).

Explanation

Animation: This visualization dynamically updates to show how the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) interacts with Earth's magnetosphere over time, based on real solar wind data.

Magnetic Field:

• The magnetic field lines are shown as they are influenced by the solar wind. They are draped around Earth, with lines stretching from the sunward side (upstream) to the magnetotail (downstream).
• Upstream: Lines come from the Sun, appearing more radial.
• Downstream: Lines extend into a comet-like tail, representing the magnetotail.

Data:

• Data is sourced from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, specifically the 7-day magnetic field data from solar wind.
• Bx, By, Bz: Components of the magnetic field vector in the GSM (Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric) coordinate system.
• Bt: Total magnetic field strength, calculated as the magnitude of Bx, By, and Bz.

Vector Calculation:

• Direction: The direction of each line is determined by the vector (Bx, By, Bz), normalized to a unit vector for accurate orientation.
• Length: Line length scales with Bt, providing a visual representation of field strength. The formula used is based on the Lorentz force law, where the length of the line is proportional to \( Bt \times \text{lengthMultiplier} \).
• Color: Color varies based on Bt, using an HSL color scale where hue changes from purple to yellow with increasing field strength.

Noaa Link Space Weather Data

NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Color Code of IMF Lines

• Yellow: Lines represent magnetic fields with low intensity.
• Orange: Lines represent magnetic fields with medium intensity.
• Magenta: Lines represent magnetic fields with high intensity.