Multiscale Coupling of Sun-Earth Processes

Many approaches exist for scientific investigations and space research is noexception. The early approach during which each space plasma region within theSunEar... » 

Many approaches exist for scientific investigations and space research is noexception. The early approach during which each space plasma region within theSunEarth system was investigated separately with physicsbased tools has nowprogressed to encompass investigations on coupling between these regions. Ampleevidence now exists indicating the dynamic processes in these regions exhibitdisturbances over a wide range of scales both in time and space. This newreckoning naturally leads to an emerging perspective of probing these naturalphenomena with concepts and tools developed in modern statistical mechanics forphysical processes governing the evolution of outofequilibrium and complexsystems.These new developments have prompted a topical conference on SunEarthconnection held on February 913 2004 at KailuaKona Hawaii USA with thegoal of promoting interactions among scientists practicing the traditionalphysicsbased approach and those utilizing modern statistical techniques.This monograph is a product of this conference a compilation of thirtyninearticles assembled into seven chapters 1 multiscale features in complexitydynamics 2 space storms 3 magnetospheric substorms 4 turbulence andmagnetic reconnection 5 modeling and coupling of space phenomena 6techniques for multiscale space plasma problems and 7 present and futuremultiscale space missions. These articles show a diversity of space phenomenaexhibiting scale free characteristics intermittency and nonGaussiandistributions of probability density function of fluctuations in the physicalparameters of the SunEarth system. The scope covers the latest observationstheories simulations and techniques on the multiscale nature of SunEarthphenomena and underscores the usefulness in crossdisciplinary exchange neededto unravel the underlying physical processes which may eventually lead to apossible unified description and prediction for «