Whistler Phenomena

In this volume, the authors present theoretical explanations for a few basic problems connected with the propagation of extra wide band, short impulses in linear media, and with the propagation of whistlers and megawhistlers in plasmas. In addition, the book provides an overview of ground and space based measurements, digital processing and signal analysis. The theoretical treatment in this volume is original in the sense that, unlike former solutions, the authors present a fundamentally non-monochromatic approach. A key feature of this approach is the application of the `Laplace Transformation' and the `Method of Inhomogeneous Basic Modes' to solve Maxwell's equations. It is shown that when the obtained theoretical results are applied to digital recordings, the wave analysis process becomes so flexible that it can also be used to investigate other wave propagation problems. These are both terrestrial phenomena (like atmospheric and seismic activity, buried target detection, etc.) and phenomena in space (planetary, interplanetary, plasmaspheric, whistler and megawhistler propagation). The book is aimed at a technical and professional audience working on whistler science and/or wave propagation problems.

The investigation of whistlers and related phenomena is a key element in studies of very-low-frequency propagation, satellite communication, the outer ionosphere, and solar-terrestrial relationships. This comprehensive text presents a history of the study of the phenomena and includes all the elements necessary for the calculation of the characteristics of whistlers and whistler-mode signals. An introduction and brief history are followed by a summary of the theory of whistlers and a detailed explanation of the calculation of their characteristics. Succeeding chapters offer a complete atlas of a variety of whistlers, including those observed in satellites and those generated by nuclear explosions; the results of satellite observation of whistler-mode propagation; the method of reducing whistler data and obtaining electron density information; a full atlas of the various kinds of emissions; and an outline and comparison of the theories of generation of emissions.

Contributed articles presented at the Workshop.

The emergence over the past several years of space plasma simula tions as a distinct field of endeavor, rather than simply the somewhat startling offspring of plasma physics, computer simulations and space observations, has necessitated a concentrated effort at interdigitat ing its parent and component fields. After several years of working the benefits of a well-defined interactive community of those without working in the field, a group of those who had gained greatly from setting up joint research projects and other lines of communication, arranged to further these gains by setting up the First International School for Space Simulations, which was organized by Kyoto University and held in Kyoto, Japan in November 1982. Its unqualified success led to the organization of the second such School, this time by the University of California, Los Angeles, and held in Kapaa, Kauai, Hawaii. The Second International School for Space Simulations drew some 175 attendees from around the world; the distribution of attendees approached the targeted equal representation by established investi gators and graduate students/beginning investigators. This strong attendance by graduate students and beginning investigators was due to the generous support of a number of funding agencies from the United States and Japan as well as international scientific organizations.

The participation of such diverse scientific and technical disciplines as meteorology, astronomy, atmospheric electricity, ionospheric and magnetospheric physics, electromagnetic wave propagation, and radio techniques in the research of atmospherics means that results are published in scientific papers widely spread throughout the literature. This Handbook collects the latest knowledge on atmospherics and presents it in two volumes. Each chapter is written by an expert in his or her field. Topics include the physics of thunderclouds, thunder, global atmospheric electric currents, biological aspects of sferics, and various space techniques for detecting lightning within our own atmosphere as well as in the atmospheres of other planets. Up-to-date applications and methodology are detailed. Volumes I and II offer a comprehensive discussion that together will serve as an important resource for practitioners, professionals, and students alike.

When I wasa child, growing up in South America,I often went camping in the wild and hence had direct access to the wondrous Southern sky; the Southern Cross was all mine at the time. Little did I know then that the study of the sky would take such a huge importance in my life, and that in the end astronomy and astrophysics would in many ways become my country and my religion. I have lived in several di?erent countries, and when asked my nationality, I am always very tempted to reply: astronomer. I started as a theorist, and my only dream in my youth was to spend nights thinking and calculating, with paper and pencil, and to have the impression by dawn that I had understood something new. So at the time astronomy was seen or dreamt by me as a solitary endeavour, with periodic encounters with my wise adviser and professors; it is this model that I adopted when doing my PhD work. My generation has lived through many revolutions of all kinds. Those in astronomy, I believe, remain particularly remarkable, and I am a true product of them. Now, I elect to live and work in large organizations, and to share my endeavours with many people. And I relish the series of Andr ́ e Heck on Organizations and Strategies in Astronomy, which help us recover our memories, reconstitute our own story, and read with glee about our neighbouring or far-away colleagues.

An engaging writing style and a strong focus on the physics make this graduate-level textbook a must-have for electromagnetism students.