Distribution of plasma and magnetic fluxes in the Venus near wake.

The orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field lines in the Venus near wake is examined on the basis of the observed distribution of nightside ionopause crossings of the Pioneer Venus orbiter. It is argued that as the field lines slip over the (magnetic) polar regions of the terminator they bend around the planet and sink into the umbra at an angle larger than that expected from magnetic tension effects. A flow configuration in which the shocked solar wind plasma streaming by the terminator expands and forces the magnetic field lines against the nightside ionosphere appears to be consistent with the observed distribution of nightside ionopause crossings.