In every scientific discipline there are milestones - periods of significant accom plishment when it is appropriate to pause and summarize the state of the field. Such is the case for the study of the behavior of cosmic rays in the heliosphere. We are just passing through solar minimum conditions, when the heliosphere has a well-ordered and relatively simple configuration. We have been fortunate to have an array of spacecraft - unprecedented in the history of space exploration and unlikely to be repeated for generations - to provide comprehensive measurements of cosmic rays throughout the heliosphere. Ulysses has completed its historic first exploration of the heliosphere at high heliographic latitudes. Pioneer and Voyager have been exploring the outer heliosphere. The durable IMP-8 and now the WIND spacecraft have provided detailed baseline measurements at Earth. Concurrently, there has been a steady improvement in theoretical understanding of cosmic ray behavior through the use of ever more sophisticated numerical models. This milestone in cosmic ray studies was celebrated with a Workshop on Cos mic Rays in the Heliosphere which was convened by L. A. Fisk, J. R. Jokipii.

Presents a comprehensive synopsis of the current state of cosmic rays, their modulation and their effects in the Earth’s atmosphere. Leading scientists in the field assess the current state of our understanding of the spatial and temporal variations of galactic and anomalous cosmic rays in the Heliosphere, and their relation to effects of the Sun. The main objective is to understand the spatial and temporal variation of galactic and anomalous cosmic rays in the light of recent observations, theory and modeling by identifying the key mechanism(s) of cosmic ray modulation and how changes on the Sun relate to changes in the observed characteristics of cosmic rays in the Heliosphere; examining the current long-lasting solar minimum and understand its implications for solar-cycle variations and long-term variations; and interpreting the long-term variations of cosmogenic radionuclides in terms of solar variability and climate change on Earth. This volume is aimed at graduate students active in the fields of solar physics, space science, and cosmic ray physics. Originally published in Space Science Reviews journal, Vol. 176/1-4, 2013.

Contributors examine the physics of wind origin and physical phenomena in winds, including heliospheric shocks, magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, and kinetic phenomena--and their interactions with surrounding media. Contributions range from studies of the interstellar cloud surrounding the solar system to solar wind interaction with comets.

Written by experts who created the field, this volume explores uncharted scientific territory, with articles discussing the effect of our galactic environment on the heliosphere, planetary system and Earth. Leading experts in diverse fields discuss the physical changes expected as the heliosphere adjusts to its galactic environment. Topics include the interaction between solar wind and interstellar dust and gas, cosmic ray modulation, magnetospheres, variations in the solar environment, and the cosmic ray isotope record preserved in paleoclimate data.

Until the advent of space physics, astrophysical plasmas could be studied only using ground-based observations. Although observational methods have advanced over recent decades, the merging of heliospheric physics with astrophysics is far from complete due to the vastly different techniques employed by astronomers and space physicists. That astrophysical plasmas can be studies directly is a major advance in astrophysical research. The solar wind from the Sun is only one of many examples of solar winds, but it provides scientists with a basis for understanding how these formerly disparate disciplines are related. Cosmic Winds and the Heliosphere is a comprehensive sourcebook on conceptually correlated topics in astrophysical winds and heliospheric physics. The contributors review the various kinds of winds, such as solar wind, winds of cataclysmic variables, and winds from pulsating stars. They then examine the physics of wind origin and physical phenomena in winds. including heliospheric shocks, magnetohydrodynamic turbulence, and kinetic phenomena. A final section considers interactions with surrounding media, with contributions ranging from studies of the interstellar cloud surrounding the solar system to considerations of solar wind interaction with comets. Prepared to the scrupulous standards of the University of Arizona Space Science Series, Cosmic Winds and the Heliosphere is an essential volume for astronomers and space physicists.

The year 1998 marked the 50th anniversary of the invention of the neutron monitor, a key research tool in the field of space physics and solar-terrestrial relations. In honor of this occasion a workshop entitled 'Cosmic Rays and Earth' was organized to review the detection of cosmic rays at the surface and in the lower atmosphere of Earth, including the effect that this radiation has on the terrestrial environment. A special focus was the role of neutron monitors in the investigation of this radiation, on the science enabled by the unique dataset of the worldwide network of neutron monitors, and on continuing opportunities to use these data to solve outstanding problems. This book is the principal product of that workshop, integrating the contribu tions of all participants. Following a general summary of the workshop prepared by the editors, the volume leads off with a keynote article by Professor John Simpson describing his invention of the neutron monitor in 1948 and the early scientific discoveries made with this instrument.