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Book Cover
E-book
Author Brekke, Asgeir.

Title Physics of the upper polar atmosphere / Asgeir Brekke
Edition 2nd ed
Published Heidelberg ; New York : Springer-Verlag, 2013

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Description 1 online resource : illustrations
Series Springer-Praxis books in environmental sciences
Springer-Praxis books in environmental sciences.
Contents 1. The Sun and the solar wind -- General points concerning the Sun -- The solar atmosphere -- Electromagnetic radiation from the Sun -- Planck's radiation law -- The greenhouse effect -- Radiowave emissions from the Sun -- Sunspots and the solar cycle -- Electromagnetic radiation from a disturbed Sun -- Particle emissions from the Sun -- Fluid flow in a nozzle -- The solar wind equation -- The "frozen-in" field concept -- The garden hose effect -- 2. The atmosphere of the Earth -- Nomenclature -- Temperature structure of the atmosphere -- Atmospheric drag on satellites -- The atmosphere as an ideal gas -- The exosphere -- Height-dependent temperature -- The adiabatic lapse rate -- Diffusion -- The equation of motion of the neutral gas -- Geostrophic and thermal winds -- The wind systems of the upper atmosphere -- Observations of the neutral wind
Collisions between particles -- Collisions in gases with different temperatures -- Drag effects -- Thermospheric neutral winds -- E-region winds -- Observations of E-region neutral winds -- Vertical motion -- 3. The Earth's magnetic field and magnetosphere -- An historical introduction -- Description of the Earth's magnetic field -- Mathematical representation of the Earth's magnetic system -- Secular variations in the Earth's magnetic field -- Tracing magnetic field lines -- E-field mapping along conducting magnetic field lines -- The source of the magnetic field of the Earth -- The unipolar inductor -- The magnetic field away from the Earth -- The magnetic tail -- Magnetic field merging -- Effects of the magnetic force -- Energy flux into the magnetosphere -- Some aspects of the energy balance -- Magnetic field convection -- High-latitude convection patterns and field-aligned currents
4. The ionosphere -- The production of ionization by solar radiation -- The ionization profile of the upper atmosphere -- Ionization profiles -- The recombination process -- The O+ dominant ionosphere -- Ambipolar diffusion -- Multicomponent topside ionosphere -- Diffusion in the presence of a magnetic field -- E-layer ionization and recombination -- Time constant of the recombination process -- D-region ionization and recombination -- The plasmasphere -- Ferraro's theorem and a unipolar inductor -- Magnetospheric convection close to the Earth -- The equatorial fountain effect -- 5. Currents in the ionosphere -- The steady-state approach -- Dependence of ion velocity direction on altitude -- Current density in the ionosphere -- Height-dependent currents and heating rates -- Heating due to collisions -- Heating of an oscillating electric field -- Currents due to gravity and diffusion
6. Magnetic fluctuations in response to height-integrated currents -- Height-integrated currents and conductance -- Magnetic field fluctuations from auroral currents -- Equivalent current systems -- Equivalent currents at different latitudes -- The Sq current system -- Mapping of E-fields in the ionosphere -- Polarization fields around an auroral arc -- Currents related to an auroral arc -- 7. The aurora -- An historical introduction -- The height of the aurora -- The occurrence frequency of the aurora -- Global distribution of the aurora -- The auroral appearance -- Auroral particles -- Precipitation patterns of auroral particles -- Energy deposition profiles of auroral particles -- Deriving energy spectra from electron density profiles -- Excitation processes in the aurora -- The quenching process -- The proton aurora
Summary This is the only extended textbook that covers in particular the physics of the upper polar atmosphere where the polar lights demonstrates the end product of a process taking place at extremely high latitudes between the solar wind and the upper polar atmosphere. A textboook that meets the modern requriement for reading in order to obtain a master of science or a Dr. of science degree in upper polar atmosphere physics or the interaction between the soalr wind and the Earth's atmosphere
Analysis Environmental sciences
Meteorology
Astrophysics
Physical geography
Environment
Environmental Physics
Meteorology/Climatology
Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Sciences
Atmospheric Sciences
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Title from PDF title page (viewed January 14, 2013)
Subject Upper atmosphere
Geophysics -- Polar regions
SCIENCE -- Earth Sciences -- Meteorology & Climatology.
Sciences de la terre.
Environnement.
Upper atmosphere
Geophysics
Polar regions
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9783642274015
3642274013