Authors

L. R. Lyons
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1565

Encylopedia of Physical Science and Technology, 2002

Abstract

Space Plasma Physics is the study of the plasmas that originate from the sun and from the planets and moons within the solar system. These plasmas occupy interplanetary space and the magnetospheres of planets. This article gives an overall description of the plasma processes which control the large scale structure and dynamics of the near-Earth space plasma environment. This includes the formation of the solar wind and and interplanetary plasma disturbances. It also includes the interaction of the solar wind plasma and magnetic field with the magnetic field of the Earth and how this interaction leads to the interesting and dynamic space plasma environment which exists in the vicinity of the Earth. Topics include energy transfer to and within the EarthÕs magnetosphere, formation of magnetospheric structure, and disturbances of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system which constitute what is recently been termed Òspace weatherÓ. Space Plasma Physics also includes the interaction of the solar plasma with other planets, the mixing of solar and planetary plasmas, and a wide range of wave modes associated with plasma oscillations in space.

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Paper (pdf format)