Auroral Physics

David Knudsen is a professor of space physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Calgary, Canada. He is the lead scientific investigator for satellite instruments that include the Swarm Electric Field Instruments and the ePOP Suprathermal Electron Imager; his research interests focus on the causes and consequences of auroral phenomena.  Joe Borovsky’s current research interests focus on structure in the solar-wind plasma, on solar-wind/magnetosphere coupling, on the dynamics of the Earth’s magnetosphere, and on applying systems science to the magnetospheric physics. In his career he has been involved in theoretical, computational, and experimental physics with emphasis on space plasma physics. He received a B.S. in astronomy and mathematics from the University of Michigan and received an M.S. and Ph. D. in physics from the University of Iowa.Tomas Karlsson in professor in space plasma physics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Sweden. His main interests are, apart from auroral physics, solar wind, foreshock and magnetosheath small-scale structures. He is also passionate about teaching.Ryuho Kataoka is an associate professor at National Institute of Polar Research, Japan. He is developing ground-based high-speed imagers of auroras. His research interests includes the space weather forecast of auroral phenomena.  Noora Partamies works as a faculty member in the space physics group at the Department of Arctic Geophysics of the University Centre in Svalbard. Her research focus is on the energetic particle precipitation and its effects on the neutral atmosphere. She further has an extensive experience in ground-based data analysis for auroral studies.

• 1 Preface to the Topical Collection on Auroral Physics.- 2 Quiet, Discrete Auroral Arcs—Observations.- 3Quiet, Discrete Auroral Arcs: Acceleration Mechanisms.-4Quiescent Discrete Auroral Arcs: A Review of Magnetospheric Generator Mechanisms.- 5 Small-Scale Dynamic Aurora.- 6 Diffuse and Pulsating Aurora.- 7 Physical Processes of Meso-Scale, Dynamic Auroral Forms.- 8 Proton Aurora and Optical Emissions in the Subauroral Region.- 9 Dayside Aurora.- 10 On the relationship between shear Alfvén waves, auroral electron acceleration, and field-line resonances.- 11 Aurora in the Polar Cap: A Review.- 12 Airglow Patches in the Polar Cap Region: A Review.