Instructor: | Jim Crumley |
Office: | 107 Peter Engel Science Center |
Email: | jcrumley@csbsju.edu |
Phone: | 363–3183 |
Office Hour: | 1 pm even days (or by appointment or just stop by) |
Lecture: | 8:00–9:10 am Days 246 (Mods C+D) |
Room: | 167 Peter Engel Science Center |
Textbook: | Space Science edited by Harra and Mason |
Web Site: | http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/368/ |
Space Physics is the study of what goes on in the solar systems between the Sun and its satellites — the planets, moons, comets, asteroids, etc. In elementary science classes this region is often described as vacuum that contains no matter. This is an exaggeration — even though the number density of particles in most regions of the solar system is small enough to be considered a vacuum by earthbound standards, matter still exists in all regions. This matter usually exists as a plasma. Along with the plasma, many different types of waves exist in space. Much of this course will deal with the plasma and waves in space and their interactions with each other.
In some ways, Space Physics is one of the oldest branches of physics. Since before recorded history, people have been fascinated by the night sky. Much of what interested ancient people involved the stars, which would now be classified as astronomy, but some of the most striking phenomena, including most importantly the aurora borealis and australis, have their roots in Space Physics. Though Space Physics has its roots in the distant past, it did not really come into its own as a field of study until after man-made satellites were first launched into space. In-situ measurements are key to understanding the space environment and in this course we will often look at spacecraft data.
Homework will be assigned roughly once a cycle and be due roughly a cycle later.
The grade in this class will be 35 % from the total homework grade, 10 % from quizzes/participation, 20 % from the first test grade, and 35 % from the final test.
Cycle | Date | Sections | Title | Topics | |
7-2 | W | 3/11 | 1, 4.1–4.4 | Introduction to Space Physics | Plasmas and space |
7-4 | F | 3/13 | 4.5.1–4.5.4 | Basic Plasma Physics | MHD and shocks |
7-6 | T | 3/17 | 4.5.5–4.5.7 | Plasma as Particles | Reconnection and magnetospheres |
8-2 | R | 3/19 | 4.5.7–4.6 | More Magnetospheres | SW interaction with other bodies |
8-4 | M | 3/23 | 6.1–6.3 | Introduction to the Sun | Solar structure, energy |
8-6 | W | 3/25 | 6.4–6.6 | More on the Sun | Neutrinos, helioseismology, BSun |
9-2 | F | 3/27 | 6.7–6.9 | Solar atmosphere | Photosphere, chromosphere, corona |
9-4 | T | 3/31 | 6.10–6.12 | Solar Wind | Solar wind and flares |
9-6 | R | 4/02 | 1,4,6 | Review | Review for Test 1 |
10-2 | M | 4/06 | 1–5 | Test 1 | |
10-4 | W | 4/08 | 5.1–5.4 | Aurora | Solar activity and aurora |
Easter Break
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10-6 | W | 4/15 | 5.4–5.6 | Aurora II | Aurora and substorms |
11-2 | F | 4/17 | 5.7–5.12 | Solar Activity | Flares, ionosphere, CMEs |
11-4 | T | 4/21 | 5.13–5.16 | Magnetic Storms | Storms, substorms, and CMEs |
11-6 | F | 4/24 | 9.1–9.3 | Introduction to MHD | Conservation and Maxwell’s eqns |
12-2 | T | 4/28 | 9.4–9.7 | MHD details | Momentum eqn, reconnection |
12-4 | R | 4/30 | 9.8–9.9 | MHD waves | Acoustic and Alfven waves |
12-6 | M | 5/04 | 1,4–6,9 | Review | Review for Final |
Final | W | 5/06 | Final Exam | ||