Physics of the Upper Polar Atmosphere

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xxv

   PDF

2. The Sun and the solar wind

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 1-50

3. The atmosphere of the Earth

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 51-115

4. The Earth’s magnetic field and magnetosphere

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 117-188

5. The ionosphere

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 189-245

6. Currents in the ionosphere

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 247-274

7. Magnetic fluctuations in response to height-integrated currents

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 275-316

8. The aurora

   • Asgeir Brekke

   Pages 317-369

9. Back Matter

   Pages 371-384

   PDF

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

• Auroral electrojets
• E- region neutral winds
• auroral pulsations
• changes in magnetic field and cosmic rays
• magnetic fluctuations in the auroral zone

• , Department of Physics and Technology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway

  Asgeir Brekke

I started out as as research assistant for the Auroral Observatory in Tromsø i 1966 and completed my Cand Real exam in physics at the Univerity of Oslo based on auroral optical stuides from Tromsø and Svalbard. In 1972 I left the observatory for a position at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD)  where I was engaged as a research scientist on the Chatanika Incoherent Scatter Radar sytem close to Fairbanks Alaska. After two years at UCSD I went back to a permanent position as associate professor at the Auroral Observatory that in the meantime had become a cornerstone in the newly established University of Tromsø (UiT). Based on the work I did at UCSD I obtained my Dr. philos degree in 1975 at UiT. From in 1989 I was appointed full professor in physics at UiT. In 1993 I was appointed adjunct professor at The University Centre on Svalbard. I therefore have a long experience as university teacher in physics with central elements in auroral and upper polar atmosphere physics. I started out working on this book in support of my lectures when I became  employed in a permanent position at UiT in 1976..
In 1997 I published the text book "Physics of the Upper Polar Atmosphere" that the present book is a revision of. This book has been used extensively by students all over the world and it has been translated into Japanese. As this book is sold out from the printer I have been approached many times by collegues whether it could be published as a second edition.

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