Since the publication of the first edition of this textbook in 1988, scientific discovery in space science continued at an extraordinary
rate. The purpose of the second edition is to capture these ideas and present them in a clear and concise fashion. The book is divided into ten chapters; the first eight chapters develop the physics of the space environment, and the last two chapters apply these principles to electromagnetic wave propagation and spacecraft operation. Topics include plasma physics, solar physics, solar wind processes, geomagnetism, magnetospheric physics, physics of the neutral atmosphere, ionospheric physics,
ionospheric variability, radiowave propagation in the ionosphere, and space environmental effects on spacecraft. This is the only textbook on the space environment written for the novice which covers all the major topics in space physics. The reader is expected to have a solid background in introductory physics; therefore, this edition is most useful as a text for senior-year college or first-year graduate students. |
