Auroral Physics

This volume, which was first published in 1991, presents a comprehensive review of all aspects of the physics of the aurorae australis and borealis. The broad topics covered relate to the different sections of a conference held in Cambridge to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Professor Sydney Chapman, FRS, who can be considered the founder of the subject in its modern form. Contributions from an international group of experts in the field discuss the physical causes and effects of the aurorae, the nightly show of dancing lights in the atmosphere, at heights above 100 km. The book is aimed primarily at students and researchers in auroral physics, but will also be of interest to magnetospheric, ionospheric and atomospheric physicists.

'[This book] aims … to 'stimulate future research in auroral research, and to interest young scientists in further auroral investigations', such a goal is certainly reached thanks to the excellent review papers, written by people that are not only specialists in their own fields, but also in the communication of the relevant results achieved there. … Little room is left for doubt that, owing to their perseverance, present and new generations of scientists will learn interesting things from this mammoth book.' Salvatore Esposito, Contemporary Physics