This book is an outgrowth of courses in plasma physics which I have taught at Kiel University for many years. During this time I have tried to convince my students that plasmas as different as gas dicharges, fusion plasmas and space plasmas can be described in a uni ed way by simple models. The challenge in teaching plasma physics is its apparent complexity. The wealth of plasma phenomena found in so diverse elds makes it quite different from atomic physics, where atomic structure, spectral lines and chemical binding can all be derived from a single equation-the Schroedinger equation. I positively accept the variety of plasmas and refrain from subdividing plasma physics into the traditional, but arti cially separated elds, of hot, cold and space plasmas. This is why I like to confront my students, and the readers of this book, with examples from so many elds. By this approach, I believe, they will be able to become discoverers who can see the commonality between a falling apple and planetary motion. As an experimentalist, I am convinced that plasma physics can be best understood from a bottom-up approach with many illustrating examples that give the students con dence in their understanding of plasma processes. The theoretical framework of plasma physics can then be introduced in several steps of re nement. In the end, the student (or reader) will see that there is something like the Schroedinger equation, namely the Vlasov-Maxwell model of plasmas, from which nearly all phenomena in collisionless plasmas can be derived.

Brings together for the first time details of the technology available and being developed to provide totally reusable launch vehicles for the future exploitation and exploration of space.

As our closest stellar companion and composed of two Sun-like stars and a third small dwarf star, Alpha Centauri is an ideal testing ground of astrophysical models and has played a central role in the history and development of modern astronomy-from the first guesses at stellar distances to understanding how our own star, the Sun, might have evolved. It is also the host of the nearest known exoplanet, an ultra-hot, Earth-like planet recently discovered. Just 4.4 light years away Alpha Centauri is also the most obvious target for humanity's first directed interstellar space probe. Such a mission could reveal the small-scale structure of a new planetary system and also represent the first step in what must surely be humanity's greatest future adventure-exploration of the Milky Way Galaxy itself. For all of its closeness, Centauri continues to tantalize astronomers with many unresolved mysteries, such as how did it form, how many planets does it contain and where are they, and how might we view its extensive panorama directly? In this book we move from the study of individual stars to the study of our Solar System and our nearby galactic neighborhood. On the way we will review the rapidly developing fields of exoplanet formation and detection.

Devised for a quantitative understanding of the physics of the universe from the solar system through the milky way to clusters of galaxies all the way to cosmology, this acclaimed text offers among the most concise and most critical ones of extant works. Special chapters are devoted to magnetic and radiation processes, disks, black-hole candidacy, bipolar flows, cosmic rays, gamma-ray bursts, image distortions, and special sources. At the same time, planet earth is viewed as the arena for life, with plants and animals having evolved to homo sapiens during cosmic time. This text is unique in covering the basic qualitative and quantitative tools, formulae as well as numbers, needed to for the precise interpretation of frontline phenomena.

The impact of anthropogenic activities on our atmospheric environment is of growing public concern and satellite-based techniques now provide an essential component of observational strategies on regional and global scales. The purpose of this book is to summarise the state of the art in the field in general, while describing both key techniques and findings in particular. It opens with an historical perspective of the field together with the basic principles of remote sensing from space. Three chapters follow on the techniques and on the solutions to the problems associated with the various spectral regions in which observations are made. The particular challenges posed by aerosols and clouds are covered in the next two chapters. Of special importance is the accuracy and reliability of remote sensing data and these issues are covered in a chapter on validation. The final section of the book is concerned with the exploitation of data, with chapters on observational aspects, which includes both individual and synergistic studies, and on the comparison of global and regional observations with chemical transport and climate models and the added value that the interaction brings to both. The book concludes with scientific needs and likely future developments in the field, and the necessary actions to be taken if we are to have the global observation system that the Earth needs in its present, deteriorating state. The appendices provide a comprehensive list of satellite instruments, global representations of some ancillary data such as fire counts and light pollution, a list of abbreviations and acronyms, and a set of colourful timelines indicating the satellite coverage of tropospheric composition in the foreseeable future. Altogether, this book will be a timely reference and overview for anyone working at the interface of environmental, atmospheric and space sciences.

Navigation in Space by X-ray Pulsars will consist of two parts. One is on modeling of X-ray pulsar signals. The second part explains how X-ray pulsar signals can be used to solve the relative navigation problem. This book formulates the problem, proposes a recursive solution, and analyzes different aspects of the navigation system. This book will be a comprehensive source for researchers. It provides new research results on signal processing techniques needed for X-ray pulsar based navigation in deep space.

This book provides an in-depth coverage of modern research on dynamical systems. The first part discusses stellar dynamics, integrable systems, the transition to chaos and instabilities in stellar dynamics as well as the dynamics of spiral galaxies. Models are given and compared with observations. The second part is devoted to the direct method of N-body simulations, to gas dynamics simulations and to galaxy formation.
Special care is taken to give to a pedagogical presentation of the material which makes this a unique text well suited for graduate courses in astrophysics.

These proceedings bring together ideas from solar and stellar physics. The sun is near enough for rather detailed observations and one chapter is devoted to the more recent experimental data from observations from space. On the other hand the multitude of stars provides a wide range of physical parameters to test hypotheses in solar and stellar astrophysics. The reader will find an illuminating overview of these fields ranging from the dynamo in the convection zone to the stellar envelopes and winds in the outer regions. In particular the importance of small-scale magnetohydrodynamic processes for the activity phenomena plays an important role in the contributions to this volume. For both students and researchers the general introduction by N. O. Weiss makes an excellent guide to this very active field of research. (See also Lecture Notes in Physics Vol. 291.)

These review articles by outstanding specialists cover the present status ofthe observations of the spectrum and of the anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Experimental developments, data analysis and related theoretical aspects are also treated. The idea is to review and discuss at a level accessible to non-specialised astronomers and graduate students the most recent developments in this field as well as the future perspectives for astrophysics and cosmology in particular.

This book brings together a variety of review articles on dynamical phenomena in the solar corona in order to work out the unifying aspects of magnetic energy releases. The experimental data from groundbased methods of radio astronomy as well as from satellites are also discussed. The book addresses researchers in astrophysics, and planetary science but should also be accessible to graduate students.

This two-part book is devoted to classic fundamentals and current practices and perspectives of modern plasma astrophysics. This first part uniquely covers all the basic principles and practical tools required for understanding and work in plasma astrophysics. More than 25% of the text is updated from the first edition, including new figures, equations and entire sections on topics such as magnetic reconnection and the Grad-Shafranov equation. The book is aimed at professional researchers in astrophysics, but it will also be useful to graduate students in space sciences, geophysics, applied physics and mathematics, especially those seeking a unified view of plasma physics and fluid mechanics.

This book provides an overview of the basic concepts and new methods in the emerging scientific area known as quantum plasmas. In the near future, quantum effects in plasmas will be unavoidable, particularly in high density scenarios such as those in the next-generation intense laser-solid density plasma experiment or in compact astrophysics objects. Currently, plasmas are in the forefront of many intriguing questions around the transition from microscopic to macroscopic modeling of charged particle systems. Quantum Plasmas: an Hydrodynamic Approach is devoted to the quantum hydrodynamic model paradigm, which, unlike straight quantum kinetic theory, is much more amenable to investigate the nonlinear realm of quantum plasmas. The reader will have a step-by-step construction of the quantum hydrodynamic method applied to plasmas. The book is intended for specialists in classical plasma physics interested in methods of quantum plasma theory, as well as scientists interested in common aspects of two major areas of knowledge: plasma and quantum theory. In these chapters, the quantum hydrodynamic model for plasmas, which has continuously evolved over the past decade, will be summarized to include both the development and applications of the method.

Incoming Asteroid is based on a project within ASTRA (the Association in Scotland to Research into Astronautics) to provide scientific answers to the question what would we do if we knew there was going to be an asteroid impact in ten years time or less?
Clearly there are many things humanity can do nothing about, for example an unseen object traveling towards us so fast that we have no time to prepare, or an object so large it may be unstoppable. A realistic hazard model was decided upon, and the scenario developed from that: an incoming object about 1 kilometer in diameter, in an orbit ranging from the outer rim of the Asteroid Belt to within that of Earth s.
Three basic possibilities are considered in this book. The first is the deflection of the asteroid, using remote probes along with a number of possible technologies to change the asteroid s course. Second is the attempt of a manned mission, in order to plant a propulsion system on the asteroid to push it into a different orbit. Third is the nuclear option, a last-ditch attempt to break up and then disperse the asteroid using nuclear weapons. (A rather impractical combination of these second and third options were used as the plot of the popular 1998 Bruce Willis feature film, Armageddon.)
Although the cost of developing the technology needed to protect the Earth would be substantial, there would certainly be spin-off benefits. These could eventually result in practical small-scale atomic energy sources, new propulsion systems that could make extraterrestrial mining within the solar system a possibility, and other as-yet unforeseen benefits.

And finally, Incoming Asteroid considers the political implications - how governments across the world should best react to the threat with a view to minimizing loss of life, and in the weeks running up to the possible impact, preventing panic in the population."

Since the launch of UoSat-1 of the University of Surrey (United Kingdom) in 1981, small satellites proved regularly to be useful, beneficial, and cost-effective tools. Typical tasks cover education and workforce development, technology demonstration, verification and validation, scientific and engineering research as well as commercial applications. Today the launch masses range over almost three orders of magnitude starting at less than a kilogram up to a few hundred kilograms, with budgets of less than US$ 100.00 and up to millions within very short timeframes of sometimes less than two years. Therefore each category of small satellites provides specific challenges in design, development and operations. Small satellites offer great potentials to gain responsive, low-cost access to space within a short timeframe for institutions, companies, regions and countries beyond the traditional big players in the space arena. For these reasons (particularly the low cost of construction, launch and operation), small (micro, cube or nano) satellites are being preferred by students and educational institutions, amateur radio operators, small and developing countries, international aid agencies and most recently by defense agencies and satellite operators who are examining deployment of constellation clusters instead of conventional application satellites. In some cases these new capabilities are being deployed as hosted payloads on larger satellites. The advent of hosted payloads as a significant part of the satellite industry represents a key new topic that this book will address. The number of small satellites-of various types--is increasing fast as their benefits are being realized. This short and unique interdisciplinary book, covering both technical and regulatory aspects, examines all the different types of applications and reasons for small as well as exploring technical and operational innovations that are being introduced. It also examines the new technical standards, removal techniques or other methods that might help to address current problems and the regulatory issues and procedures to ameliorate problems associated with small satellites, especially mounting levels of orbital debris and noncompliance with radio frequency and national licensing requirements, liabilities, export controls and so on.

It has been nearly 100 years since the Apollo moon landings, when Jack and Vladimir, two astronauts on a mission to Venus, discover a mysterious void related to indigenous life on the planet. Subsequently more voids are detected on Earth, Mars, Titan, and, quite ominously, inside a planetoid emerging from the Kuiper belt.

Jack is sent to investigate the voids in the Solar System and intercept the planetoid - which, as becomes increasingly clear, is inhabited by alien life forms. Jack and his crew will have little time to understand their alien biochemistry, abilities, behavior patterns, resilience, and technology, but also how these life forms relate to the voids.

Humankind's first encounter with these exotic life forms couldn't be more fateful, becoming a race against time to save life on Earth and to reveal the true nature of the voids, which seem to be intrinsically related to life and the universe itself. In this novel, the author combines many topics related to state-of-the-art research in the field of astrobiology with fictional elements to produce a thrilling page turner.

This new version significantly develops the astrobiological denouement of the plot and features an extensive non-technical appendix where the underlying science is presented and discussed.

From the reviews of the first edition ("Voids of Eternity: Alien Encounter")

Here's a thrilling yarn in the best "hard SF" tradition of Asimov, James Hogan, and Ben Bova, written by a scientist who knows all about the possibilities of life in the solar system and beyond. Dirk Schulze-Makuch weaves into his book all the astrobiological themes he's worked on in recent years -- speculation about creatures in the atmosphere of Venus and on and under the surface of Mars and Titan -- together with some well-informed Eastern philosophy and a cracking good space battle. A great first novel from a rising talent. Highly recommended. David Darling, on amazon.com, 2009The research interests of Dr. Schulze-Makuch, currently a professor at Washington State University, focus on evolutionary adaptation strategies of organisms in their natural environment, particularly extreme environments such as found on other planetary bodies. Dirk Schulze-Makuch is best known for his publications on extraterrestrial life, being coauthor of three books on the topic: "We Are Not Alone: Why We Have Already Found Extraterrestrial Life" (2010), "Cosmic Biology: How Life could Evolve on Other Worlds" (2010), and "Life in the Universe: Expectations and Constraints" (2004). In 2011 he published with Paul Davies "A One Way Mission to Mars: Colonizing the Red Planet" and in 2012 with David Darling "Megacatastrophes Nine Strange Ways the World Could End."

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The Workshop on Tunable Solid State Lasers for Remote Sensing was held at Stanford University in October 1984 to assess the state of the art in tunable solid state lasers for remote sensing from satellite platforms. The value of conducting global remote sensing measurements of atmospheric chemistry, climate, and weather in the 1990s is now established. What is not yet defined, however, is the status of the developing tunable laser technology that must meet both the scientific requirements and the space platform constraints. This workshop was convened by the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to assess the status and progress in tunable solid state laser sources for remote sensing. The workshop was organized to facilitate information exchange across a number of technologies from remote sensing requirements to crystal growth of the materials important for the development of the tunable laser sources. The emphasis was on the recent developments in tunable solid state laser sources necessary to meet the future transmitter requirements for global remote sensing. A goal of the workshop was to form recommendations to NASA on the current and future prospects for solid state laser technology that will allow remote sensing measurements from air, shuttle, and free-flying satellite platforms. The emphasis was on solid state laser sources because they offer the best potential for meeting the demanding requirements of compact size, good efficiency, and long operational lifetimes required for future space station and free-flying platform operation.

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Both the high level of activity in worldwide space exploration programmes and the discovery of extra-solar planets have spurred renewed interest in the physics and evolution dynamics of solar systems. The present book has grown out of a set of lectures by leading experts in the field within the framework of the well-known EADN summer schools. It addresses primarily graduate students and young researchers but will be equally useful for scientists in search of a comprehensive tutorial account that goes beyond the material found in standard textbooks.

Space weather has attracted a lot of attention in recent times. Severe space weather can disrupt spacecraft, and on Earth can be the cause of power outages and power station failure. It also presents a radiation hazard for airline passengers and astronauts. These "magnetic storms" are most commonly caused by coronal mass ejections, or CMES, which are large eruptions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun that can reach speeds of several thousand km/s. In this SpringerBrief, Space Weather and Coronal Mass Ejections, author Timothy Howard briefly introduces the coronal mass ejection, its scientific importance, and its relevance to space weather at Earth and other planets. This title focuses on the latest advances in CME observation and modeling, including new results from the NASA STEREO and SDO missions. It also includes topical issues regarding space weather and the most recent observations and anecdotal examples of the impacts of space weather and CMEs.

This modern presentation guides readers through the theory and practice of satellite orbit prediction and determination. Starting from the basic principles of orbital mechanics, it covers elaborate force models as well as precise methods of satellite tracking. The accompanying CD-ROM includes source code in C++ and relevant data files for applications. The result is a powerful and unique spaceflight dynamics library, which allows users to easily create software extensions. An extensive collection of frequently updated Internet resources is provided through WWW hyperlinks.

Fault Detection and Fault-tolerant Control Using Sliding Modes is the first text dedicated to showing the latest developments in the use of sliding-mode concepts for fault detection and isolation (FDI) and fault-tolerant control in dynamical engineering systems. It begins with an introduction to the basic concepts of sliding modes to provide a background to the field. This is followed by chapters that describe the use and design of sliding-mode observers for FDI using robust fault reconstruction. The development of a class of sliding-mode observers is described from first principles through to the latest schemes that circumvent minimum-phase and relative-degree conditions. Recent developments have shown that the field of fault tolerant control is a natural application of the well-known robustness properties of sliding-mode control. A family of sliding-mode control designs incorporating control allocation, which can deal with actuator failures directly by exploiting redundancy, is presented. Various realistic case studies, specifically highlighting aircraft systems and including results from the implementation of these designs on a motion flight simulator, are described. A reference and guide for researchers in fault detection and fault-tolerant control, this book will also be of interest to graduate students working with nonlinear systems and with sliding modes in particular. Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage the transfer of technology in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of new work in all aspects of industrial control.

It is well known that stellar winds are variable, and the fluctuations are often cyclical in nature. This property seems to be shared by the winds of cool and hot stars, even though their outflows are driven by fundamentally different physical mechanisms. Since very similar models have been proposed to explain the cyclical wind variations observed in a wide variety of stars, the time was ripe for astrophysicists from many different sub-disciplines to present the state of the art in a concise form. The proceedings will provide a useful, up-to-date overview of the observations, interpretation, and modelling of the time-dependent mass outflows from all sorts of stars.

This monograph addresses the legal and policy issues relating to the commercial exploitation of natural resources in outer space. It begins by establishing the economic necessity and technical feasibility of space mining today, an estimate of the financial commitments required, followed by a risk analysis of a commercial mining venture in space, identifying the economic and legal risks. This leads to the recognition that the legal risks must be minimised to enable such projects to be financed. This is followed by a discussion of the principles of international space law, particularly dealing with state responsibility and international liability, as well as some of the issues arising from space mining activities. Much detail is devoted to the analysis of the content of the common heritage of mankind doctrine. The monograph then attempts to balance such interests in creating a legal and policy compromise to create a new regulatory regime.