Space Physics

Beschreibung

The heliosphere and magnetospheres of the planets provide large natural plasma laboratories. This book is a broad, yet selective treatment of the physics of ionized gases and charged particles in the solar-terrestrial environment. The first few chapters deal with the fundamentals of plasma physics, covering such topics as single-particle motion, plasmas as fluids, magnetohydrodynamics, a brief introduction to kinetic theory, and plasma waves. Subsequent chapters discuss observations of the sun and the solar wind, energetic particles in interplanetary space and in the magnetoshperes, magnetized and unmagnetized planets, and solar-terrestrial relations, in particular the aurora. These chapters also describe the applications of these principles to space-plasma observations and introduce more-complex phenomena, such as collisionless shocks and wave-particle interactions.>
Phenomena in space physics are complex and their understanding often requires the integration of different concepts of space physics. To help the beginner this book uses a new methodological approach. The first chapters introduce simple concepts of plasma physics and describe where these concepts can be applied in space physics. The subsequent chapters are devoted to more-complex observations. These are interpreted in terms of the concepts introduced earlier and new, more difficult, concepts are introduced where they are required. Thus observations and physical concepts can be interwoven to give basic explanations of phenomena and also show the limitations in these explanations and point out some rather fundamental questions.
* Focuses on concepts relevant in the large-scale space plasmas * Combines basic concepts with current research and new observations in interplanetary space and in the magnetospheres * Numerous references to review articles and important original papers
Since no prior knowledge is assumed, this textbook will act as an introduction for senior undergraduate and graduate students in space physics, plasma physics, and astrophysics, and for young researchers new in the field of space sciences. The book offers an introduction to the physics of space plasma and its application in current research into heliospheric and magnetospheric physics.

Autor*in

May-Britt Kallenrode

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Heliosphere Magnetospheres Plasma physics Solar-terrestrial relations Space physics particles

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