Space weather is one of the most significant natural hazards to human life and health. Conditions of the sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems. If conditions in the space environment are adverse, they can cause disruption of satellite operations, communications, navigation, and electric power distribution grids, leading to a variety of socioeconomic losses.
This book provides an overview of our current knowledge and theoretical understanding of space weather formation and covers all major topics of this phenomena, from the sun to the Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere, thus providing a fully updated review of this rapidly advancing field. The book brings together an outstanding team of internationally recognised contributors to cover topics such as solar wind, the earth's magnetic field, radiation belts, the aurora, spacecraft charging, orbital drag and GPS.
Space Weather Drivers. Sun. Solar Wind. Earth’s Magnetic Field. Solar Wind Magnetosphere Interaction. The Magnetosheath and its Boundaries. Magnetic Reconnection. Magnetospheric Electric Fields and Current Systems. Geomagnetic Tail-Inner Magnetosphere Coupling. Ring Current. Radiation Belts. Plasmasphere. Polar Wind. "Imaging" the Aurora: Understanding Space Weather in the Upper Atmosphere. Ionospheric Electrodynamics. Simulating Space Weather. Space Weather and the Extra-Terrestrial Planets. Space Weather Applications. Spacecraft Charging. Orbital Drag. Space Weather Effects on Communication and Navigation.
Biography
Dr. George Khazanov is a senior scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He is the author or coauthor of six books and more than 300 scientific publications.
