The effect of the earth's bow shock and magnetosheath on the interaction of a discontinuity in the solar wind with the magnetosphere

A theoretical model is proposed for the interaction of a plane discontinuity in the solar wind with the magnetosphere. The presence of the bow shock and magnetosheath are taken into account, the calculation being based on the Spreiter et al. (1966) gas-dynamic model for a solar wind Mach Number M = 5. The model proposed predicts the manner in which the shape of the interplanetary discontinuity is distorted in its passage through the magnetosheath; it is found that the point of first impact with the magnetopause makes an angle of 56° with the Sun-Earth line for relatively quiet solar wind conditions.