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Observations and physical concepts are interwoven to give basic explanations of phenomena and also show the limitations in these explanations and identify some fundamental questions.
Compared to conventional plasma physics textbooks this book focuses on the concepts relevant in the large-scale space plasmas. It combines basic concepts with current research and new observations in interplanetary space and in the magnetospheres.
Graduate students and young researchers starting to work in this special field of science, will find the numerous references to review articles as well as important original papers helpful to orientate themselves in the literature.
Emphasis is on energetic particles and their interaction with the plasma as examples for non-thermal phenomena, shocks and their role in particle acceleration as examples for non-linear phenomena.
This second edition has been updated and extended. Improvements include: the use of SI units; addition of recent results from SOHO and Ulysses; improved treatment of the magnetosphere as a dynamic phenomenon; text restructured to provide a closer coupling between basic physical concepts and observed complex phenomena.

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I Plasmas: The Basics.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Charged Particles in Electromagnetic Fields.- 3 Magnetohydrodynamics.- 4 Plasma Waves.- 5 Kinetic Theory.- II Space Plasmas.- 6 Sun and Solar Wind: Plasmas in the Heliosphere.- 7 Energetic Particles in the Heliosphere.- 8 The Terrestrial Magnetosphere.- 9 Planetary Magnetospheres.- 10 Solar-Terrestrial Relationships.- III The Methods.- 11 Instrumentation.- 12 Science in a Complex Environment.- A.1 List of Symbols.- A.2 Equations in the SI and cgs System.- A.3 Useful Relations.- A.3.1 Vector Calculus.- A.3.2 Cylindrical Coordinates.- A.3.3 Spherical Coordinates.- A.4 Useful Numbers.- A.4.1 Fundamental Constants.- A.4.2 Numbers in Plasmas.- A.4.3 Conversion of Units.- A.5 Useful Internet Resources.- A.5.1 Space Physics - General.- A.5.2 Textbooks and other Educational Material.- A.5.3 Missions.- A.5.4 The Sun.- A.5.5 Solar-Terrestrial Relationships.- A.5.6 Aurorae.- A.5.7 Data.- References.

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From the reviews of the third edition:

"It´s delighting to read such a book! Not only clear and precise, it covers a huge amount of information on a vast and difficult domain. ... An appendix with symbols, useful relations, numbers and 52 Internet resources is followed by a list of 573 references. ... I warmly recommend this book for students, young researchers or specialists as like the author said, focus is on concepts rather than on detailed mathematical analysis. Everyone could take benefits of the reading." (Jean-Claude Jodogne, Physicalia, Vol. 57 (3), 2005)

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