Plasma Waves in the Magnetosphere

by A.D.M. Walker

Overview

This book is a study of plasma waves which are observed in the earth's magnetosphere. The emphasis is on a thorough, but concise, treatment of the necessary theory and the use of this theory to understand the manifold varieties of waves which are observed by ground-based instruments and by satellites. We restrict our treatment to waves with wavelengths short compared with the spatial scales of the background plasma in the mag­ netosphere. By so doing we exclude large scale magnetohydrodynamic phenomena such as ULF pulsations in the Pc2-5 ranges. The field is an active one and we cannot hope to discuss every wave phenomenon ever observed in the magnetosphere! We try instead to give a good treatment of phenomena which are well understood, and which illustrate as many different parts of the theory as possible. It is thus hoped to put the reader in a position to understand the current literature. The treatment is aimed at a beginning graduate student in the field but it is hoped that it will also be of use as a reference to established workers. A knowledge of electromagnetic theory and some elementary plasma physics is assumed. The mathematical background required includes a knowledge of vector calculus, linear algebra, and Fourier trans­ form theory encountered in standard undergraduate physics curricula. A reasonable acquaintance with the theory of functions of a complex vari­ able including contour integration and the residue theorem is assumed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783642778698
Publisher:	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publication date:	01/19/2012
Series:	Physics and Chemistry in Space , #24
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1993
Pages:	348
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.03(d)

Table of Contents

I Propagation and Generation of Plasma Waves.- 1 Basic Equations.- 2 Waves in a Uniform Cold Magnetoplasma — 1. Infinite Plane Waves.- 3 Waves in a Uniform Cold Magnetoplasma — 2. Rays and Wave Packets.- 4 Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves in a Non-Uniform Cold Magnetoplasma.- 5 Waves in a Uniform Warm Magnetoplasma.- 6 Waves in a Hot Plasma — 1. General Features.- 7 Waves in a Hot Plasma — 2. Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium Distributions.- 8 The Effect of Wave Fields on Energetic Particles.- II Applications of the Theory to Plasma Wave Observations.- 9 Magnetospheric Plasmas.- 10 Waves in the Plasmasphere — 1. Whistler Observations and Basic Theory.- 11 Waves in the Plasmasphere — 2. Details of Whistler Propagation.- 12 Waves in the Plasmasphere — 3. Ion Cyclotron Whistlers.- 13 Waves in the Plasmasphere — 4. Doppler Shifted Cyclotron Resonance of Electrons with Whistlers.- 14 Waves in the Auroral Region.- 15 Some Final Words.- A The Essence of Cartesian Tensors.- B Some Mathematical Results.- B.1 Properties of Bessel Functions and Related Results.- B.2 The Plasma Dispersion Function.- C Properties of the Earth’s Dipole Field.- D Definition of Symbols.