Auroral Physics

This 1991 volume presents a comprehensive review of all aspects of the physics of the aurorae australis and borealis.

C. I. Meng (Edited by), M. J. Rycroft (Edited by), L. A. Frank (Edited by)

9780521157414, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 March 2012

518 pages
27.9 x 21 x 2.6 cm, 1.15 kg

'[This book] aims … to 'stimulate future research in auroral research, and to interest young scientists in further auroral investigations', such a goal is certainly reached thanks to the excellent review papers, written by people that are not only specialists in their own fields, but also in the communication of the relevant results achieved there. … Little room is left for doubt that, owing to their perseverance, present and new generations of scientists will learn interesting things from this mammoth book.' Salvatore Esposito, Contemporary Physics

This volume, which was first published in 1991, presents a comprehensive review of all aspects of the physics of the aurorae australis and borealis. The broad topics covered relate to the different sections of a conference held in Cambridge to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Professor Sydney Chapman, FRS, who can be considered the founder of the subject in its modern form. Contributions from an international group of experts in the field discuss the physical causes and effects of the aurorae, the nightly show of dancing lights in the atmosphere, at heights above 100 km. The book is aimed primarily at students and researchers in auroral physics, but will also be of interest to magnetospheric, ionospheric and atomospheric physicists.

Preface
Participants
Part I. Introductory Observations: 1. Auroral phenomena S.-I. Akasofu
Part II. Aurural Spectoscopy and Thermosphere: 2. Overview of auroral spectroscopy A. Vallance Jones
3. Auroral excitation processes M. H. Rees and D. Lummerzheim
4. Auroral emission processes and remote sensing R. R. Mrier and D. J. Strickland
5. Thermospheric response and feedback to auroral inputs D. Rees and T. J. Fuller-Rowell
6. Thermospheric dynamics, energetics and composition at auroral latitudes T. L. Killeen, F. G. McCormac, A. G. Burns and R. G. Roble
Part III. Auroral Particles and Acceleration Mechanisms: 7. Overview of electron and ion precipitation in the auroral oval P. T. Newell, C.-I. Meng and D. A. Hardy
8. Diagnosis of auroral acceleration mechanisms by particle measurements J. L. Burch
9. Characteristics of magnetic-field aligned electric fields in the auroral acceleration region L. P. Block and C.-G. Fälthammar
10. Auroral electron acceleration: a case for the stochastic alternative D. A. Bryant, D. S. Hall and R. Bingham
11. Auroral ion acceleration and its relationship to ion composition E. G. Shelley and H. L. Collin
12. Ion precipitation and the transport of ions accelerated by auroral processes J. M. Bosqued
Part IV. Auroras and Magnetospheric Configuation: 13. What determines the size of the auroral oval? G. L. Siscoe
14. The quiet-time aurora and the magnetospheric configuration R. Lundin, L. Eliasson and J. S. Murphree
15. Discrete auroras and magnetatail processes L. R. Lyons
16. Auroral luminosity and its relationship to magnetospheric plasma domains Yu. I. Galperin and Ya. I. Feldstein
17. The aurora and middle magnetospheric processes B. H. Mauk and C.-I. Meng
18. Auroral plasma waves D. A. Gurnett
Part V. Aurural Substorms and Dynamics: 19. Overview of observations and models of auroral substorms G. Rostoker
20. Diagnosis of auroral dynamics using global aurora imaging with emphasis on large-scale evolutions J. D. Craven and L. A. Frank
21. Diagnosis of auroral dynamics using global auroral imaging with emphasis on localized and transient features G. G. Shepherd and J. S. Murphree
22. Poleward motions of auroral structures E. W. Hones, Jr., A. B. Galvin and P. R. Higbie
23. A magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling theory of substorms including magnetotail dynamics J. R. Kan, L. Zhu, A. T. Y. Lui and S.-I. Akasofu
Part VI. Auroral Structures: 24. Overview of auroral spatial scales D. J. Gourney
25. Mesoscale structures in auroral phenomena O. A. Troshichev
26. The pulsating aurora and its relationship to fields and charged-particle precipitation P. J. Tanskanen
27. Electrodynamics of active auroral forms: westward traveling surges and omega bands W. Baumjohann
28. Large-scale distribution of discrete auroras and field-aligned currents E. Friis-Christensen and K. Lassen
Part VII. Aurora and Ionosphere: 29. The auroral electrojets: relative importance of ionspheric conductivities and electric fields Y. Kamide
30. Large-scale currents connecting the polar ionosphere with the magnetosphere T. Iijima
31. Ionosphere-magnetosphere mapping of dynamic auroral structures during substorms E. Nielson
32. Incoherent scatter observations of the auroral ionosphere with the EISCAT radar facility J. Röttger
33. Ground-based measurements of joule heating rates O. de la Beaujardiére, R. Johnson and V. B. Wickwar
34. Global observations: a future research thrust in auroral and magnetospheric research D. J. Williams
Index
Colour plates.

Subject Areas: Astrophysics [PHVB]