Syllabus
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1. Introduction to space physics Definition space plasma, parameters and differences between laboratory and space plasmas. Maxwellian distribution function of velocities, drifting Maxwellian distribution, calculation of moments. Collective behavior, Debye shielding. *
2. Dusty plasma Determination of dusty plasma and dusty in the plasma. Dusty plasma applications in the space and in laboratory experiments - examples and impact. *
3. Motions of charged particles in E and B time-varying electromagnetic fields Gyration around the guilding center, ExB drift, grad B drift mechanism, curvature drift, drift in field of a general force. Magnetic moment and its conservation, magnetic mirrors. Fermi acceleration. Applications on magnetospheric processes (ring current and radiation belts). *
4. Fundamental equations of magnetohydrodynamics Freezing of magnetic field, magnetic field diffusion, consequences and limitations of MHD approximation, magnetic reconnection. Wave processes in a plasma - Alfvén, and magnetosonic waves, non-linear effects. *
5. Sun as a source of space plasma Processes inside the Sun, solar corona formation, solar magnetic field, solar activity cycles. *
6. Solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) History of solar wind discovery, Parker theory of the solar wind. Solar wind parameters and their variations, form of IMF structure. Significant instabilities in the solar wind (MC, CME, CIR, HFA), interplanetary shocks. *
7. Solar wind interaction with obstacles Formation of the Earth's magnetosphere, magnetospheric boundaries and regions (magnetopause, etc.). Bow shock creation, bow shock processes, foreshock, magnetosheath (observations, simulations, and theories). *
8. Used coordinate systems Definition of different coordinate systems (GSE, GSM, SM) and their transformation, geographic and geomagnetic coordinates, local time. *
9. Formation of the magnetosphere Magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause for different orientation of IMF, influence of reconnection on magnetopause shape and position. Magnetospheric regions (cusp, low-latitude boundary layer, plasma mantle, plasma sheet, plasma sheet boundary layer, lobes, plasmasphere). Magnetic field models, mapping of magnetospheric regions to auroral regions. *
10. Magnetospheric dynamics Geomagnetic indices (Dst, Kp, AE). Initiation and evolution of geomagnetic storms and substorms. Auroral precipitation (discrete and diffuse aurorae), magnetospheric configuration changes as a result of IM orientation.
Annotation
Introduction to space physics, plasma and dusty plasmas. Motions of charged particles in E and B time-varying electromagnetic fields.
Fundamental equations of magnetohydrodynamics, magnetic reconnection. Sun, solar wind plasma and interplanetary magnetic field, solar wind interaction with obstacles.
Formation of the Earth´s magnetosphere and its dynamics.