Course

Unit I

Brief history of solar-terrestrial physics – The variables Sun and the heliosphere. Earth’s space environment and upper atmosphere.

Unit II

Space plasma physics – single particle motion, plasma state, Fluid description, MHD & Kinetic theory, Applications.

Unit III

Solar wind & Interplanetary Magnetic Field(IMF), Shocks and Instabilities in space.

Unit IV

Solar wind interactions with magnetized planets – Introduction, planetary magnetic fields, spherical harmonic expansions, geomagnetic field and its measurements, variations in Earth’s field.

Unit V

Magnetosphere – Dynamics, Sw-Magnetosphere interactions; Ionosphere, Currents in space and Ionosphere; Neutral – Dynamics.

OBJECTIVE: To enable students to study in detail about physics and kinematics of the planetary bodies.

 Course outcomes:

1. Be able to brief about the history of solar-terrestrial physics.
2. Be able to explain about space plasma physics.
3. Be able to explain solar winds and Interplanetary Magnetic Field.
4. Be able to explain the interaction of solar winds with magnetized planets.
5. Be able to brief about magnetosphere.

 CO – PO mapping

REFERENCES:

1) Hannu E.J. Koskinen, Physics-of Space Storms, Springer, 2011.

2) Molwin, M., An Introduction to Space Weather, CUP, 2008.

3) Kivelson& Russell, Introduction to Space Physics, CUP, 1995.