Olar Surface Magnetism

Solar Surface Magnetism

Observations of the solar magnetic field are largely confined to the radiation emitted from the photosphere, the thin layer of the solar atmosphere which we call "the solar surface". It is from solar surface observations that we must infer the internal structure and the internal magnetohydrodynamic processes that lead to the multitude of fascinat ing phenomena of solar magnetic activity, and from solar surface observations we must also infer the interplay of convection and magnetism that regulates field dispersal, drives the heating of the outer-atmospheric plasma, and generates the solar wind. There is much to be learned from solar surface magnetism in physics and astrophysics; currently, there are rapid developments in this exciting field. The workshop of which this volume contains the proceedings aimed at a synthesis between observers and theorists, both with regard to the discrete elements that are the building blocks of solar magnetism and with regard to the larger-scale spatial and temporal patterns in which the magnetic elements emerge and disappear. The workshop was held during November 1-5, 1993 in Soesterberg, The Netherlands. The fifty participants took a very active part in making the workshop quite a lively one. The articles in these proceedings cover most of the oral and poster presentations, excepting a dozen soon to be published elsewhere.

Solar-terrestrial Magnetic Activity and Space Environment

The COSPAR Colloquium on Solar-Terrestrial Magnetic Activity and Space Environment (STMASE) was held in the National Astronomy Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) in Beijing, China in September 10-12, 2001. The meeting was focused on five areas of the solar-terrestrial magnetic activity and space environment studies, including study on solar surface magnetism; solar magnetic activity, dynamical response of the heliosphere; space weather prediction; and space environment exploration and monitoring. A hot topic of space research, CMEs, which are widely believed to be the most important phenomenon of the space environment, is discussed in many papers. Other papers show results of observational and theoretical studies toward better understanding of the complicated image of the magnetic coupling between the Sun and the Earth, although little is still known little its physical background. Space weather prediction, which is very important for a modern society expanding into out-space, is another hot topic of space research. However, a long way is still to go to predict exactly when and where a disaster will happen in the space. In that sense, there is much to do for space environment exploration and monitoring. The manuscripts submitted to this Monograph are divided into the following parts: (1) solar surface magnetism, (2) solar magnetic activity, (3) dynamical response of the heliosphere, (4) space environment exploration and monitoring; and (5) space weather prediction. Papers presented in this meeting but not submitted to this Monograph are listed by title as unpublished papers at the end of this book.

Magnetism