Thomas E. Cravens - Böcker

Andrew F. Nagy Originally published in the journal Space Science Reviews, Volume 139, Nos 1–4. DOI: 10. 1007/s11214-008-9353-0 © Springer Science+Business Media B. V. 2008 Keywords Aeronomy The term “aeronomy” has been used widely for many decades, but its origin has mostly been lost over the years. It was introduced by Sydney Chapman in a Letter to the Editor, entitled “Some Thoughts on Nomenclature”, in Nature in 1946 (Chapman 1946). In that letter he suggested that aeronomy should replace meteorology, writing that the word “meteor is now irrelevant and misleading”. This proposal was apparently not received with much support so in a short note in Weather in 1953 Chapman (1953)wrote: “If, despite its obvious convenience of brevity in itself and its derivatives, it does not commend itself to aeronomers, I think there is a case for modifying my proposal so that instead of the word being used to signify the study of the atmosphere in general, it should be adopted with the restricted sense of the science of the upper atmosphere, for which there is no convenient short word. ” In a chapter, he wrote in a 1960 book (Chapman 1960), he give his nal and de nitive de nition, by stating that “Aeronomy is the science of the upper region of the atmosphere, where dissociation and ionization are important”. The Workshop on “Comparative Aeronomy” was held at ISSI during the week of June 25–29, 2007.

Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons, shares remarkable similarities with Earth. Its thick atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen; it features the most complex organic chemistry known outside of Earth and, uniquely, hosts an analog to Earth's hydrological cycle, with methane forming clouds, rain and seas. Using the latest data from the ongoing Cassini-Huygens missions, laboratory measurements and numerical simulations, this comprehensive reference examines the physical processes that shape Titan's fascinating atmospheric structure and chemistry, weather, climate, circulation and surface geology. The text also surveys leading theories about Titan's origin and evolution, and assesses their implications for understanding the formation of other complex planetary bodies. Written by an international team of specialists, chapters offer detailed, comparative treatments of Titan's known properties and discuss the latest frontiers in the Cassini-Huygens mission, offering students and researchers of planetary science, geology, astronomy and space physics an insightful reference and guide.

Physics of Solar System Plasmas provides a comprehensive introduction to the plasma physics and magnetohydrodynamics that are needed to study the solar wind and magnetosphere. The text includes a broad introduction to plasma physics, including important discussions of kinetic theory, single particle motion, magnetohydrodynamics, geomagnetically trapped energetic particles and the physics of magnetic reconnection. This leads into a thorough description of the Sun and the solar wind, and, finally, the author addresses magnetospheric physics. Among the topics covered here are magnetospheric morphology, bow shocks, magnetospheric convection and electrical currents, substorms, ionospheric physics, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, auroral physics and the interaction of the solar wind with the planets. Problem sets at the end of each chapter make this a useful text for advanced undergraduate students in astrophysics, geophysics, or atmospheric sciences. Graduate students and researchers will also find it a valuable source of information.

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 176.With the search for extra-solar planets in full gear, it has become essential to gain a more detailed understanding of the evolution of the other earth-like planets in our own solar system. Space missions to Venus, including the Soviet Veneras, Pioneer Venus, and Magellan, provided a wealth of information about this planet' enigmatic surface and atmosphere, but left many fundamental questions about its origin and evolution unanswered.This book discusses how the study of Venus will aid our understanding of terrestrial and extra-solar planet evolution, with particular reference to surface and interior processes, atmospheric circulation, chemistry, and aeronomy. Incorporating results from the recent European Venus Express mission, Exploring Venus as a Terrestrial Planet examines the open questions and relates them to Earth and other terrestrial planets. The goal is to stimulate thinking about those broader issues as the new Venus data arrive.