Physics of the Earth's Space Environment

1. Introduction.- 1.1 Definitions and Constraints.- 1.2 Scope and Organization of the Material.- 1.3 Brief History of Space Research.- 2. Neutral Upper Atmosphere.- 2.1 State Parameters of Gases and their Gas Kinetic Interpretation.- 2.2 Height Profiles of the State Parameters.- 2.3 Barospheric Density Distribution.- 2.4 Exospheric Density Distribution.- 3. Absorption of Solar Radiation Energy.- 3.1 Origin and Characteristics of Solar Radiation.- 3.2 Extinction of Solar Radiation in the Upper Atmosphere.- 3.3 Heating and Temperature Profile.- 3.4 Thermospheric Winds.- 3.5 Atmospheric Waves.- 4. Ionosphere.- 4.1 Height Profile of Ionospheric State Parameters.- 4.2 Ionization Production and Loss.- 4.3 Density Profile in the Lower Ionosphere.- 4.4 Density Profile in the Upper Ionosphere.- 4.5 Density Maximum and Ionospheric Time Constants.- 4.6 Systematic Variations of the Ionization Density.- 4.7 Radio waves in the Ionosphere.- 5. Magnetosphere.- 5.1 Fundamentals.- 5.2 The Geomagnetic Field Near the Earth.- 5.3 Charged Particle Motion in the Geomagnetic Field.- 5.4 Particle Populations in the Inner Magnetosphere.- 5.5 The Distant Geomagnetic Field.- 5.6 Particle Populations in the Outer Magnetosphere.- 5.7 Magnetoplasma Waves in the Magnetosphere.- 6. Interplanetary Medium.- 6.1 The Solar Wind.- 6.2 Interplanetary Magnetic Field.- 6.3 Magnetoplasma Waves in the Interplanetary Medium.- 6.4 Modification of the Solar Wind by the Bow Shock.- 6.5 Interaction of the Solar Wind with the Interstellar Medium.- 6.6 Energetic Particles in Interplanetary Space.- 7. Absorption and Dissipation of Solar Wind Energy.- 7.1 Topology of the Polar Upper Atmosphere.- 7.2 Electric Fields and Plasma Convection.- 7.3 Ionospheric Conductivity and Currents.- 7.4 Aurorae.- 7.5 Neutral Atmospheric Effects.- 7.6 Energy Transfer from Solar Wind to Magnetosphere.- 8. Geospheric Storms.- 8.1 Magnetic Storms.- 8.2 Auroral Substorms.- 8.3 Magnetospheric Substorms.- 8.4 Thermospheric Storms.- 8.5 Ionospheric Storms.- 8.6 The Sun as the Origin of Geospheric Storms.- 8.7 Disturbance Effects on Technological Systems.- A. Formulas, Tables and Derivations.- A.l Selected Mathematical Formulas.- A.2 Physical Parameters of the Earth.- A.3 Planetary Data.- A.4 Model Atmosphere.- A.5 Diffusion Equation for Gases.- A.6 Derivation of the Momentum Balance Equation.- A.7 Energy Balance Equation of an Adiabatic Gas Flow.- A.8 Bernoulh Equation.- A.9 Rankine-Hugoniot Equations.- A.10 Maxwell Equations.- A. 11 Curvature of a Dipole Field Line.- A. 12 Gradient Drift Velocity.- A. 13 System of Equations for Ideal Magnetoplasmadynamics.- A.13.1 Balance Equations of a Magnetoplasma.- A. 13.2 Maxwell Equations and the Generahzed Ohm's Law.- A. 13.3 Validity Test of the Approximations.- A. 14 Two Theorems of Magnetoplasmadynamics.- A. 15 Magnetoplasma Waves.- A.15.1 Simplification of the System of Equations.- A.15.2 Wave Propagation Parallel to a Magnetic Field.- A. 15.3 Wave Propagation Perpendicular toa Magnetic Field.- A.15.4 Validity Test of the Approximations.- A.16 Plasma Instabilities.- B. Figure and Table References.