The Earths Magnetosphere as a Sample of the Plasma Universe

Invited keynote lecture at NASA-OAST Workshop, "Space Technology Plasma Issues in 2001", JPL, Pasadena, 24 - 26 September, 1986.QC 20120531</p

Magnetic-Field Aligned Electric Fields

QC 2012050

The Plasma Universe

Invited paper for the IAU Symposium Basic Plasma Processes on the Sun, Bangalore, Indien, December 1 - 5, 1989.QC 20120531</p

Electric Fields in the Magnetosphere - the Evidence from ISEE, GEOS and Viking

QC 20120528</p

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling

Invited review at the ESA Workshop on Future Missions in Solar, Heliospheric and Space Plasma Physics, Garmisch-Pertenkirchen, Germany, 30 April - 3 May 1985. ESA SP-235, pp. 107-133.QC 20120531</p

Non-resistive electric potential drops in cosmic plasmas

Invited lecture for the "Workshop on Acceleration Mechanisms in Astrophysics". La Jolla, 3 - 5 January, 1979.To be published in American Institute of Physics Conference Series.QC 20120531</p

MHD Dynamo Action in Space Plasmas

Invited review lecture for the Fourth Beer-Sheva Seminar on MHD-Flows and Turbulence at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, February 27 - March 2, 1984.QC 20120531</p

Ionized Matter, Plasma, in the Cosmos and in the Laboratory

QC 2012041

The Earth's Magnetosphere as a Key to the Plasma Universe

In situ measurements in the Earth’s magnetosphere have led to a substantial and ongoing revision of our understanding of cosmic plasmas. The real cosmic plasmas behave in ways different than predicted by traditional idealized models in respects as fundamental as plasma dynamics, conduction of electric current and energization of charged particles. As almost all (known) matter in the Universe is in a state of magnetized plasma, this is an important basis for interpretation of astrophysical phenomena that are accessible only to remote observation. The magnetosphere contains plasma populations covering more than eight powers of ten in density and in equivalent temperature and is the venue of a number of fundamentally important plasma physical processes, which are studied in detail with space instrumentation. Ubiquitous features of cosmic plasmas are their ability to generate high energy particles and to rapidly release large amounts of magnetically stored energy. In these processes, as well as in plasma dynamics in general, a key role is played by the electric field, which is difficult or impossible to measure remotely. In the Earth’s magnetosphere it is accessible to in situ measurements and even active experimentation. Of particular importance is the existence of magnetic-field aligned electric fields, which were considered non-existent on the basis of idealized models but have proved to play a key role both in acceleration processes and in plasma dynamics.Qc 20120127</p