Describes the physical, plasma and chemical processes controlling ionospheres, upper atmospheres and exospheres, for researchers and graduates.

The Earth's Ionosphere: Plasma Physics and Electrodynamics emphasizes the study of plasma physics and electrodynamics of the ionosphere, including many aeronomical influences. The ionosphere is somewhat of a battleground between the earth's neutral atmosphere and the sun's fully ionized atmosphere, in which the earth is embedded. One of the challenges of ionosphere research is to know enough about these two vast fields of research to make sense out of ionospheric phenomena. This book provides insights into how these competing sources of mass, momentum, and energy compete for control of the ionosphere. Some of the topics discussed include the fundamentals of ionospheric plasma dynamics; equatorial plasma instabilities; high-latitude electrodynamics; and instabilities and structure in the high-latitude ionosphere. Throughout this text only the region above 90 km are discussed, ignoring the D region entirely. This publication is a good source of information for students and individuals conducting research on earth's ionosphere.

Comprehensive description of physical, plasma and chemical processes controlling ionospheres for scientists and graduate students.

One of the most fundamental discoveries of the solar system was the detection of four moons in orbit around Jupiter by Galileo Galilei in 1610. The discovery was significant not only in the context of Jupiter; it gave credence to and was instrumental in firmly establishing the heliocentric system of Nicolaus Copernicus. Almost four centuries after Galileo's discovery, exten sive observations by the two Voyager spacecrafts have once again revolu tionized our thinking about the major planets, their composition, structure, origin, and evolution. This book is an attempt at summarizing our present understanding of the atmospheres and ionospheres in the outer solar system, with particular emphasis on the relevant physics and chemistry. I was motivat ed to prepare this manuscript for the following reasons. First, after under going rapid expansion in the recent past, the subject has finally attained suf ficient maturity to warrant a monograph of its own. Second, I have felt that as a result of recent observations, new and challenging problems have arisen whose resolution requires unconventional analysis and theoretical interpreta tion of existing data, as well as the collection of new kinds of data. I believe the time is ripe to put these issues in the appropriate scientific perspective, with the hope of stimulating novel theoretical, observational, and laboratory studies. I have highlighted the significant scientific problems throughout the book, especially at the end of each chapter.

The SpringerBriefs on Atmospheric and Space Sciences in two volumes presents a concise and interdisciplinary introduction to the basic theory, observation & modeling of atmospheric and ionospheric coupling processes on Earth. The goal is to contribute toward bridging the gap between meteorology, aeronomy, and planetary science. In addition recent progress in several related research topics, such atmospheric wave coupling and variability, is discussed. Volume 1 will focus on the atmosphere, while Volume 2 will present the ionospheres and the plasma environments. Volume 2 is aimed primarily at (research) students and young researchers that would like to gain quick insight into the basics of space sciences and current research. In combination with the first volume, it also is a useful tool for professors who would like to develop a course in atmospheric and space physics.

The Dynamical Ionosphere: A Systems Approach to Ionospheric Irregularity examines the Earth's ionosphere as a dynamical system with signatures of complexity. The system is robust in its overall configuration, with smooth space-time patterns of daily, seasonal and Solar Cycle variability, but shows a hierarchy of interactions among its sub-systems, yielding apparent unpredictability, space-time irregularity, and turbulence. This interplay leads to the need for constructing realistic models of the average ionosphere, incorporating the increasing knowledge and predictability of high variability components, and for addressing the difficulty of dealing with the worst cases of ionospheric disturbances, all of which are addressed in this interdisciplinary book. Borrowing tools and techniques from classical and stochastic dynamics, information theory, signal processing, fluid dynamics and turbulence science, The Dynamical Ionosphere presents the state-of-the-art in dealing with irregularity, forecasting ionospheric threats, and theoretical interpretation of various ionospheric configurations. - Presents studies addressing Earth's ionosphere as a complex dynamical system, including irregularities and radio scintillation, ionospheric turbulence, nonlinear time series analysis, space-ionosphere connection, and space-time structures - Utilizes interdisciplinary tools and techniques, such as those associated with stochastic dynamics, information theory, signal processing, fluid dynamics and turbulence science - Offers new data-driven models for different ionospheric variability phenomena - Provides a synoptic view of the state-of-the-art and most updated theoretical interpretation, results and data analysis tools of the "worst case" behavior in ionospheric configurations

This introductory text replaces two earlier publications (Davies 1965, 1969). Among the topics: characteristics of waves and plasma, the solar-terrestrial system, the Appleton formula, radio soundings of the ionosphere, morphology of the ionosphere, oblique propagation, importance of amplitude and phase, earth-space propagation. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 201. Modeling the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System brings together for the first time a detailed description of the physics of the IT system in conjunction with numerical techniques to solve the complex system of equations that describe the system, as well as issues of current interest. Volume highlights include discussions of: Physics of the ionosphere and thermosphere IT system, and the numerical methods to solve the basic equations of the IT system The physics and numerical methods to determine the global electrodynamics of the IT system The response of the IT system to forcings from below (i.e., the lower atmosphere) and from above (i.e., the magnetosphere) The physics and numerical methods to model ionospheric irregularities Data assimilation techniques, comparison of model results to data, climate variability studies, and applications to space weather Providing a clear description of the physics of this system in several tutorial-like articles, Modeling the Ionosphere-Thermosphere System is of value to the upper atmosphere science community in general. Chapters describing details of the numerical methods used to solve the equations that describe the IT system make the volume useful to both active researchers in the field and students.

This book describes how to predict and forecast the state of planet Earth’s ionosphere under quiet and disturbed conditions in terms of dynamical processes in the weakly ionized plasma media of the upper atmosphere and their relation to available modern measurements and modelling techniques. It explains the close relationship between the state of the media and the radio wave propagation conditions via this media. The prediction and forecasting algorithms, methods and models are oriented towards providing a practical approach to ionospherically dependent systems design and engineering. Proper understanding of the ionosphere is of fundamental practical importance because it is an essential part of telecommunication and navigation systems that use the ionosphere to function or would function much better in its nonappearance on the Earth and on any planet with an atmosphere.

A modern treatment of the physics and phenomena of the ionosphere, beginning with the basics of radio propagation and the use of radio techniques in ionospheric studies. Ample cross-referencing, chapter summaries and reference lists make this book an invaluable aid for graduate students, ionospheric physicists and radio engineers.