Magnetohydrodynamic Waves in Geospace: The Theory of ULF Waves and Their Interaction with Energetic Particles in the Solar-Terrestrial Environment (Series in Plasman Physics)

Solar-terrestrial physics deals with phenomena in the region of space between the surface of the Sun and the upper atmosphere of the Earth, a region dominated by matter in a plasma state. This area of physics describes processes that generate the solar wind, the physics of geospace and the Earth’s magnetosphere, and the interaction of magnetospheric processes with the upper atmosphere. Such processes are important for energy transfer between the Sun and the terrestrial environment. Many of these processes are mediated by long period wave phenomena, which are usually treated by magnetohydrodynamic methods. In this book the author provides the theoretician and experimentalist with a coherent account of the important theoretical ideas that underpin current understanding of ultra-low-frequency wave phenomena in solar-terrestrial physics, and that may be used to address future problems. Brief accounts of observational results are included, as well as appendices describing some key mathematical techniques and magnetic field properties in detail Written in a concise and clear manner, this book will prove valuable reading for advanced graduate students whilst active researchers in space plasma physics, solar physics, geophysics, planetary science and astrophysics in need of a source of detailed information will also appreciate this work. Pt. 1. Fundamentals Of Mhd Wave Theory -- 1. Basic Ideas Of Thermodynamics And Electrodynamics -- 2. The Magnetohydrodynamic Approximation -- 3. Single-particle Motion In Electromagnetic Fields -- 4. Kinetic Theory Of Plasmas -- 5. Fluid Behaviour -- 6. Equilibrium And Steady-state Conditions -- 7. Harmonic Plane Waves In A Uniform Loss-free Plasma -- 8. Collisionless Damping Of Mhd Waves -- 9. Wavepackets And Energy Propagation In Uniform Media -- 10. Reflection And Transmission At Sharp Boundaries In Stationary Media -- 11. Slowly Varying Media -- Pt. 2. The Solar-terrestrial Environment -- 12. The Sun, The Solar Wind, And The Magnetosphere -- 13. Observations Of Ultra-low-frequency Oscillations And Waves -- Pt. 3. Waves In Solar-terrestrial Physics -- 14. Mhd Wave Equations In Non-uniform Media -- 15. Propagation In A Plane-stratified Medium -- 16. Standing Waves And Oscillations In A Cold Plasma -- 17. Standing Waves And Oscillations In A Compressional Plasma -- 18. Field-line Resonance In Low-pressure Plasmas -- 19. Mathematics Of Field-line Resonance In Compressible Media -- 20. Cavity Oscillations And Waveguide Modes -- 21. Waves In Moving Media -- 22. Shock Waves -- 23. Magnetohydrodynamic Instability -- 24. Wave-particle Interactions And Kinetic Effects -- 25. Last Words -- App. A. Some Mathematical Techniques -- App. B. Properties Of The Geomagnetic Field -- App. C. Fourier Analysis Techniques -- App. D. Wave Analysis Techniques. A.d.m. Walker. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 528-540) And Index.