Auroral Plasma Physics Project 

The aurora, whose spectacular visible displays have fascinated mankind
for ages, is one of the most intriguing phenomenon in all of space
plasma physics. Strong particle acceleration and wave-particle
interaction effects play key roles in its formation, which to a large
extent is organised by large-scale currents aligned with the magnetic
field. One of the greatest challenges is the explanation of the
extremely narrow width of auroral arcs. The aurora is one of the key
phenomena at the end of the Sun-Earth connection chain, but the
underlying physical processes should be ubiquitous in the entire
universe. Although the aurora has been studied for a long time, decisive
progress -- in particular regarding the clarification of the nature of
the acceleration process, the fundamental role of the current systems,
and the interplay between particles and fields -- has been made through
the recent Freja and FAST satellite missions, sounding rocket flights,
and high-resolution optical observations from the ground and from space.
ISSI has deceided that the time is therefore ripe for an integration of
the results by stating a project dedicated to Auroral Plasma Physics.
The project brings together a group of about 30 people, with the goal to
write a book on the subject. The book is expected to be state-of-the-art
and comprehensive, but at the same time to contain enough tutorial
material to serve as a textbook for students.

The project will be carried out through workshops and working-group
meetings at a rate of two per year and will extend over about two years.
The first Workshop was held 25 - 29 November 1999.

The project will be coordinated by a core-group consisting of: 

Joseph E. Borovsky, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Charles W. Carlson, University of California, Berkeley
Gerhard Haerendel, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik 
Bengt Hultqvist, Swedish Institute of Space Physics
Hannu Koskinen, Finnish Meteorological Institute
William Lotko, Dartmout College
Kristina Lynch, University of New Hampshire
Göran Marklund, Royal Institute of Technology
Götz Paschmann, ISSI (Project Leader).