Glossary – B
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biomass
Organic nonfossil material of biological origin. For example, trees and plants are biomass.
botany
a branch of biology dealing with plant life
bow shock
A sharp front formed in the solar wind ahead of the magnetosphere, marked with a sudden slowing-down of the flow near Earth. It is quite similar to the shock forming ahead of the wing of a supersonic airplace. After passing near Earth, the slowed-down flow gains speed again, to the same value as the surrounding solar wind.