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EDITORIAL INFORMATION

The Aurora: Sun-Earth Interactions is the only book that analyzes all the aspects of aurorae, describing the mechanism of this phenomenon, how the interested readers can perform observations, the high atmosphere and the interactions Sun-Earth. This second edition has completely been reviewed and updated, adding important new material to it.

The author speaks about the history of aurorae and the scientific research they have been subjected to, from the most ancient ideas till the latest observations by means of space vehicles. It describes the solar activity, the terrestrial magnetosphere, and the interactions Sun-Earth. In addition to the polar aurorae, it also speaks about aurorae in other latitudes. Some geomagnetic effects of aurorae, as well as other phenomena of the high atmosphere, are likewise covered. The very varied forms of aurorae are carefully described and illustrated in a colored section. The author provides practical advice for the non-especialized people who wish to observe and photograph aurorae. This is rarely included in other books.

(Extracted from the back cover).

GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS

-Table of Contents.

-List of Illustrations.

-Preface.

-Preface to Second Edition.

-Acknowledgements.

-1. Introduction.

-2. The Aurora in History.

-3. Scientific Investigations of the Aurora.

-4. The Active Sun.

-5. The Earth's Magnetosphere.

-6. The Polar Aurorae.

-7. The Mid-latitude Aurora.

-8. Other Effects.

-9. Related High-atmosphere Phenomena.

-Appendix: Observational Organizations.

-Glossary.

-Bibliography.

-Index.

OUR REVIEW

The book explains the phenomenon of aurorae incorporating the sufficient technical data to serve as a reference book to readers specialized in Physics. However, its general focus is not excessively technical, which makes it into a divulgative book for amateur readers without a thorough scientific background.

It turns out to be interesting not only because it is a clear monograph on the phenomenon of aurorae in itself, but also because it takes into account the sociological aspects of this issue, explaining the human reactions before the aurorae in ancient times, and narrating the history of their research. At the same time, some of these observations distant in time provide a sufficient basis to venture a history of the interaction Sun-Earth during the last centuries. Another part of the contents of this work that merits being pointed out, is the one referring to the effects associated to aurorae. Many people tend to think of aurorae as something isolated and purely visual, when in actual fact they belong to a much wider, much more complex phenomenology. The unskilled reader will no doubt discover amazing things.