What does this simulation show?

A 2D side view of the solar wind streaming from the Sun toward Earth, where Earth's magnetosphere deflects most incoming charged particles, plus a Kp geomagnetic-index readout that rises with solar activity and CME events.

What does the Kp index measure?

It is a proxy for geomagnetic disturbance derived here from solar activity and the number of active coronal mass ejections (CMEs) currently interacting with Earth's magnetic shield, on the same 0-9 scale used for real geomagnetic storms.

Home▸Space & Astronomy▸Heliophysics Explorer: Sun-Earth Connection (2D)

☀️ Heliophysics Explorer: Sun-Earth Connection (2D)

2D side-view solar-wind lab: charged particles stream from the Sun and are deflected around Earth's magnetosphere shield, with a coronal mass ejection button and a live Kp geomagnetic-index readout.

Space & Astronomy2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This 2D companion strips the Sun-Earth connection down to a flat side view: solar-wind particles leave the Sun at a rate set by the solar-activity slider, cross the gap at a speed set by the wind-speed slider, and bounce off Earth's magnetosphere shield the moment they enter it — exactly the same deflection geometry as the 3D scene, just seen from the side instead of orbited. A "Trigger CME" button launches a denser, faster burst standing in for a coronal mass ejection, and the same Kp-index formula from the original turns solar activity and the number of active CME bursts into a single 0-9 geomagnetic-disturbance readout.

⚙ Under the hood

2D solar-wind and magnetosphere lab: particles deflect off Earth's magnetic shield, a CME button launches a denser burst, and a Kp-index readout tracks the resulting geomagnetic disturbance.

solar windmagnetospherecoronal mass ejectionKp indexgeomagnetic stormheliophysics

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install