Much of the excitement in modern Solar Physics has come from the realisation that the Sun is a plasma and that this plasma is interacting with the magnetic field in a wide variety of subtle ways. As well as being of great interest in their own right the observed plasma phenomena on the Sun are of much wider importance, since they reveal to us details of basic phenomena that are expected to be occurring throughout the universe. It was with this in mind that 173 solar physicists from 17 countries gathered together in Bangalore with an air of anticipation. We were not disappointed as we received the warmest of welcomes from our graceful and charming host,Vinod Krishan. She and her colleagues worked tirelessly to make our stay a most memorable one and to ensure that the meeting ran with calm and efficiency. In addition to being stimulated by an excellent series of talks on the up-to-the minute advances in our subject, it was a pleasure to make new friendships from so many countries and to learn, in particular, of the Solar Physics being done in India which has a great tradition and is of a high standard. Furthermore, we enjoyed hearing about Indian culture and appreciating its beauty, especially on our day's tour into the countryside to visit some Hindu and Jain temples.

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In 2010, NASA and the National Science Foundation asked the National Research Council to assemble a committee of experts to develop an integrated national strategy that would guide agency investments in solar and space physics for the years 2013-2022. That strategy, the result of nearly 2 years of effort by the survey committee, which worked with more than 100 scientists and engineers on eight supporting study panels, is presented in the 2013 publication, Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society. This booklet, designed to be accessible to a broader audience of policymakers and the interested public, summarizes the content of that report.

Dynamics of astrophysical systems is often described by plasma physics, yet understanding the nature of plasma turbulence remains as a challenge in physics in both theories and experiments. This book is an up-to-date summary and review of recent results in research on waves and turbulence in near-Earth space plasma turbulence, obtained by Cluster, the multi-spacecraft mission. Spatial and temporal structures of solar wind turbulence as well as its interaction with the bow shock ahead of the Earth are presented using Cluster data. The book presents (1) historical developments, (2) theoretical background of plasma physics, turbulence theories, and the plasma physical picture of the solar system, (3) analysis methods for multi-spacecraft data, (4) results of Cluster data analysis, and (5) impacts on astrophysics and Earth sciences.

The authors have put forth great efforts in gathering present day knowledge about different objects within our solar system and universe. This book features the most current information on the subject with information acquired from noted scientists in this area. The main objective is to convey the importance of the subject and provide detailed information on the physical makeup of our planetary system and technologies used for research. Information on educational projects has also been included in the Radio Astronomy chapters.This information is a real plus for students and educators considering a career in Planetary Science or for increasing their knowledge about our planetary system.

Solar and space physics is the study of solar system phenomena that occur in the plasma state. Examples include sunspots, the solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, radiation belts, and the aurora. While each is a distinct phenomenon, there are commonalities among them. To help define and systematize these universal aspects of the field of space physics, the National Research Council was asked by NASA's Office of Space Science to provide a scientific assessment and strategy for the study of magnetized plasmas in the solar system. This report presents that assessment. It covers a number of important research goals for solar and space physics. The report is complementary to the NRC report, The Sun to the Earthâ€"and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy for Solar and Space Physics, which presents priorities and strategies for future program activities.