Geomagnetism

Geomagnetism, Volume 4 focuses on the processes, methodologies, technologies, and approaches involved in geomagnetism, including electric fields, solar wind plasma, pulsations, and gravity waves. The selection first offers information on solar wind, magnetosphere, and the magnetopause of the Earth. Discussions focus on magnetopause structure and transfer processes, magnetosphere electric fields, geomagnetically trapped radiation, microstructure of the solar wind plasma, and hydro magnetic fluctuations and discontinuities. The text then examines geomagnetic tail, neutral upper atmosphere, and geomagnetic pulsations and plasma waves in the Earth's magnetosphere. Topics include plasma waves and instabilities in the magnetosphere, waves in a magneto plasma, gravity waves, atmospheric tides, balance equations for mass, momentum and energy, and absorption of solar and particle radiation. The publication takes a look at auroras and physical processes producing magnetosphere substorms and magnetic storms, including aurora theory and morphology, structure of the magnetosphere, and models of magnetosphere substorms. The selection is a valuable source of data for researchers wanting to explore geomagnetism. Key Features * Covers upper atmosphere physics, the magnetosphere, and solar wind * Expert team of contributors from all over the world * The fourth volume of the only comprehensive treatise covering all aspects of geomagnetism

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to the active sun as a source of disturbance that affect the magnetic field measured at the earth's surface. Included under this topic are the general sun's properties, solar surface activity centers and characteristics of the solar field and ejecta flowing into interplanetary space.

The main magnetic field of the Earth is a complex phenomenon. To understand its origins in the fluid of the Earth's core, and how it changes in time requires a variety of mathematical and physical tools. This book presents the foundations of geomagnetism, in detail and developed from first principles. The book is based on George Backus' courses for graduate students at the University of California, San Diego. The material is mathematically rigorous, but is logically developed and has consistent notation, making it accessible to a broad range of readers. The book starts with an overview of the phenomena of interest in geomagnetism, and then goes on to deal with the phenomena in detail, building the necessary techniques in a thorough and consistent manner. Students and researchers will find this book to be an invaluable resource in the appreciation of the mathematical and physical foundations of geomagnetism.

For the general public, magnetism often seems more the province of new age quacks, movie mad scientists, and grade-school teachers than an area of actual, ongoing scientific inquiry. But as Ronald T. Merrill reveals in Our Magnetic Earth, geomagnetism really is an enduring, vibrant area of science, one that offers answers to some of the biggest questions about our planet’s past—and maybe even its future.

With the awareness that the Earth has a magnetic field, its mathematical description, discovery of remanent magnetisation in rocks and discovery of the periodic reversals of the geomagnetic field polarity, geomagnetism within geophysics became an interesting field of study. This is primarily due to advances in measurement technology and improved understanding of the magnetic field and its fluctuations in the geospace. Several important aspects of solid Earth geomagnetism are elaborated in the book. The first six chapters cover the basics of magnetism, magnetic minerals, biomagnetics, instrumentation and the behavior of geomagnetic field, while the rest of the book is devoted to practical applications with carefully selected examples and illustrations. Well-written and easy to read, the book vividly describes modern techniques in the subject matter covered, adequately supported by graphical explanations for complex mathematical concepts.

An interdisciplinary review of research in geomagnetism, aeronomy and space weather, written by eminent researchers from these fields.

This volume presents lectures given at the NATO Advanced Study Institute held 11-22 April 1988 at Newcastle upon Tyne, England. The aim of the Institute was to improve the interaction between workers in observational geomagnetism (using historical data) and archaeo- and palaeo-magnetism (using the remanent magnetization of man-made artefacts and of natural sediments and rocks) and those trying to interpret the data in terms of mechanisms inside or outside the Earth, particularly those developing dynamo theories of the field. The material discussed ranged from magnetic bacteria swimming round a circle in a few seconds, the effect of El Nino, through secular variation with time scales of tens to thousands of years and the'mechanics of individual field reversals and excursions (aborted reversals?) to possible modulation of average reversal frequency on the hundred million year time scale. Many members of the Physics Department helped with the organization, and we are most grateful to them, and in particular to Anne Codling for her very many contributions. We also gratefully acknowledge the painstaking work of Aileen Dryburgh and Lynn Whiteford in so carefully typing the manuscript.