Astrophysics and Space Science Library: The Sun and Space Weather (Volume 277)

What are the terrestrial effects of solar activity and the solar activity cycle? The modern term used for solar terrestrial relations is `Space Weather'. This term describes all external effects on the space environment of the Earth and the Earth's atmosphere. The main driver for space weather is our Sun. Explosive events on the Sun that are modulated by the solar activity cycle lead to enhanced particle emission and short wavelength radiation. This affects satellites: for example surface charging and enhanced drag forces on satellites in low Earth orbit can cause satellite crashes etc. Enhanced radiation also poses a problem for astronauts, especially for extravehicular activities. Another source of space weather effects is space debris and micrometeoroids.

Since the Sun is the main source of space weather effects, the first part of the book is devoted to a general introduction to the physics of the Sun. A better understanding of the phenomena underlying solar activity is also important for prediction of solar outbursts and thus for establishing alert systems for space missions and telecommunication systems. The book contains the following topics:

• possible influence of the Sun on the Earth's climate;
• the effects of radiation on humans in space and the expected radiation dose from various solar events;
• disturbances of the Earth's ionosphere and the implications of radio communication at different wavelength ranges;
• possible hazardous asteroids and meteoroids and their detection; and
• space debris and special shielding of spacecraft.

In the cited literature the reader can find more detailed information about the topics.

This book provides an introduction and overview of modern solar-terrestrial physics for students as well as for researchers in the field of astrophysics, solar physics, geophysics, and climate research.

This second edition is a great enhancement of literature which will help the reader get deeper into the specific topics. There are new sections included such as space weather data sources and examples, new satellite missions, and the latest results. At the end a comprehensive index is given which will allow the reader to quickly find his topics of interest.

The Sun and Space weather are two rapidly evolving topics. The importance of the Sun for the Earth, life on Earth, climate and weather processes was recognized long ago by the ancients. Now, for the first time there is a continuous surveillance of solar activity at nearly all wavelengths. These data can be used to improve our understanding of the complex Sun-Earth interaction.

The first chapters of the book deal with the Sun as a star and its activity phenomena as well as its activity cycle in order to understand the complex physics of the Sun-Earth system. The reader will see that there are many phenomena but still no definite explanations and models exist for many of them. Other topics are the influences on the Earth’s atmosphere, long and short term climate variations. The last chapters discuss the protection against enhanced radiation environment in view of upcoming manned missions to the Moon and Mars, and the threat from space debris, asteroids and meteoroids.

Since the field is quite interdisciplinary, the book will be of interest to scientists working in different fields such as solar physics, geophysics, and space physics.