Earth's Magnetosphere

Earth's Magnetosphere: Formed by the Low Latitude Boundary Layer, Second Edition, provides a fully updated overview of both historical and current data related to the magnetosphere and how it is formed. With a focus on experimental data and space missions, the book goes in depth relating space physics to the Earth’s magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar wind. Starting with Newton’s law, this book also examines Maxwell’s equations and subsidiary equations such as continuity, constitutive relations and the Lorentz transformation, Helmholtz’ theorem, and Poynting’s theorem, among other methods for understanding this interaction.This new edition of Earth’s Magnetosphere is updated with information on such topics as 3D reconnection, space weather implications, recent missions such as MMS, ionosphere outflow and coupling, and the inner magnetosphere. With the addition of end-of-chapter problems as well, this book is an excellent foundational reference for geophysicists, space physicists, plasma physicists, and graduate students alike.

• Offers an historical perspective of early magnetospheric research, combined with progress up to the present
• Describes observations from various spacecraft in a variety of regions, with explanations and discussions of each
• Includes chapters on prompt particle acceleration to high energies, plasma transfer event, and the low latitude boundary layer

Wayne Keith obtained a PhD in Space Physics from Rice University, during which time he also completed research at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. He became a research associate at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center before moving on to full time teaching at McMurry University. He participated in the design, assembly, testing, calibration, data processing, and analysis of two magnetospheric plasma instruments (MEDUSA on Astrid-2, and MEDUSA-2 on Munin) and was also involved in data processing and analysis for multiple instruments on Cluster-2. His primary research interests are the magnetospheric cusps and data visualization.

Walter Heikkila is Professor Emeritus in the Physics Department at the University of Texas at Dallas. His research interests include space physics and solar physics, specifically magnetospheric physics, solar wind, and auroral substorms. He received his PhD in Low Temperature Physics from the University of Toronto. He has since worked for the Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment, before becoming Associate Professor of Physics at the Southwest Center for Advanced Studies and subsequently Professor of Physics at University of Texas at Dallas. He is the author of the first edition of Earth’s Magnetosphere and a leading expert on the Earth’s magnetic field.