Planetary Ionospheres and Magnetospheres

  • Eugene F. Milone
  • William J. F. Wilson
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Library book series (AAL)

Abstract

We begin this chapter with a detailed review of the ionization and recombination processes in a planetary ionosphere, as exemplified by the ionosphere we know the most about, that of the Earth. We then extend the discussion to the ionospheres of Mars and Venus, and examine atmospheric loss mechanisms. After using Maxwell’s equations to learn about electromagnetic wave propagation in an ionosphere, we review basic magnetospheric processes and look at their effects, such as particle trapping and precipitation, the ring current and other magnetospheric currents, magnetospheric convection and substorms, and magnetospheric-ionospheric coupling and aurorae. We conclude the chapter with a discussion of the magnetospheres of Mercury, Venus and Mars.

Keywords

Solar Wind Field Line Interplanetary Magnetic Field Magnetic Storm Magnetic Reconnection 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Eugene F. Milone
    • 1
  • William J. F. Wilson
    • 1
  1. 1.Dept. Physics & AstronomyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryCanada

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