A localized plasma cloud of magnetosheath plasma with some excess momentum is assumed to distort the surface of the magnetopause, and its associated currents, inducing an electric field that can be of the order of 1m V/m. This induction electric field by itself is just what is needed so that the plasma can follow the moving magnetopause. A normal component of the magnetic field Bn through the magnetopause will permit a small field-aligned polarization current; this current will deliver charge that will create an electrostatic field. The normal component of the total electric field will be reduced (perhaps to zero) while the tangential component will be enhanced. This enhancement will allow the cloud to continue moving toward the moving magnetopause. At the same time the plasma particles will be slightly energized, and being propelled by the mirror force -&mgr;∇B they will become more field aligned as they go through the magnetopause. Energy for these events comes from the excess momentum via the induction electric field. Once inside the moving magnetopause, the cloud can go across field lines (either open or closed) until it loses its excess momentum. A cross-sectional slice of the plasma cloud (at the inner edge of the magnetopause current) acts as a generator; the whole process can be regarded as an electric circuit, with a generator preceding the load, the trailing portion of the current. Losses of particles, momentum, and energy will occur; the mechanism described is one possible form of ''viscous interaction'' between the shocked solar wind and the magnetosphere. The total amount of power going into the plasma is likely to be much less than 5¿1011 watts, and may even be negative, indicating the futility of searching for dissipation of this magnitude.