Cosmic Electrodynamics

Cosmic electrodynamics is the specific branch of plasma physics which studies electromagnetic phenomena -- mostly the role of electromagnetic forces in dynamics of highly-conducting compressible medium in the solar interior and atmosphere, solar wind, in the Earth's magnetosphere and magnetospheres of other planets as well as pulsars and other astrophysical objects. This textbook is written to be used at several different levels. It is aimed primarily at beginning graduate students who are assumed to have a knowledge of basic physics. Starting from the language of plasma physics, from Maxwell's equations, the author guides the reader into the more specialized concepts of cosmic electrodynamics. The main attention in the book is paid to physics rather than maths. However, the clear mathematical image of physical processes in space plasma is presented and spelled out in the surrounding text. There is not another way to work in modern astrophysics at the quantitative level. The book will also be useful for professional astronomers and for specialists, who investigate cosmic plasmas from space, as well as for everybody who is interested in modern astrophysics.

Originally published in 1958, this informative textbook was primarily designed for undergraduate students and presents a classical account of cosmic electrodynamics, as well as addressing the rapid changes and growth in the field and discussing the new and emerging developments at the time of publication. Detailed, clearly written and replete with equations and diagrams, this book systematically includes a section on each major topic and explains both the physics of the subject as well as the mathematics necessary for a thorough and full understanding. Multiple topics and sub topics are considered and analysed, including the velocity-distribution method, magnetic storms and ionospheric electrodynamics. This book captures the very dynamism and vibrancy of the subject and goes into much greater detail than most physics textbooks at the time. It will be of significant value to scholars of astrophysics as well as to anyone with an interest in the history of education.