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Kinetic Alfvén Waves in Laboratory, Space, and Astrophysical Plasmas

New book provides an extensive review of observations of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) in solar and heliospheric plasmas

Book cover: Kinetic Alfvén Waves in Laboratory, Space, and Astrophysical PlasmasAuthors: De-Jin Wu, Ling Chen 
© Nanjing University Press 2020 / Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 
ISBN: 978-981-13-7988-8 (Hardcover) 978-981-13-7989-5 (Online) 
DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-7989-5

https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811379888

Part of the Atmosphere, Earth, Ocean & Space book series (AEONS)

This book provides a systematic introduction to the observation and application of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) in various plasma environments, with a special focus on the solar-terrestrial coupling system. Alfvén waves are low-frequency and long-wavelength fluctuations that pervade laboratory, space and cosmic plasmas. KAWs are dispersive Alfvén waves with a short wavelength comparable to particle kinematic scales and hence can play important roles in the energization and transport of plasma particles, the formation of fine magneto-plasma structures, and the dissipation of turbulent Alfvén waves.

Since the 1990s, experimental studies on KAWs in laboratory and space plasmas have significantly advanced our understanding of KAWs, making them an increasingly interesting subject. Without a doubt, the solar–terrestrial coupling system provides us with a unique natural laboratory for the comprehensive study of KAWs. This book presents extensive observations of KAWs in solar and heliospheric plasmas, as well as numerous applications of KAWs in the solar-terrestrial coupling system, including solar atmosphere heating, solarwind turbulence, solar wind-magnetosphere interactions, and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling.

In addition, for the sake of consistency, the book includes the basic theories and physical properties of KAWs, as well as their experimental demonstrations in laboratory plasmas. In closing, it discusses possible applications of KAWs to other astrophysical plasmas. Accordingly, the book covers all the major aspects of KAWs in a coherent manner that will appeal to advanced graduate students and researchers whose work involves laboratory, space and astrophysical plasmas.