Swedish Institute of Space Physics, IRF
Preface
The theory of scaling is now a classical thing and almost unknown to
modern space physicists, but still it has to be known because of all ionospheric data in the past
which demand to be interpreted from the set of scaling parameters. For many old days
ionospheric phycisits the state of the ionosphere were known as a series of
scaled parameters and the corresponding paradigm is also interesting in it self.
The lectures which follow are designed as an inspiration for using the old
ionospheric data together with newly in the same fashion registred ones
and as an other complementary view of thee ionosphere.
The tutorial is very personal and it has been possible
first in recent years to make it. It is made mainly in Java and
has been focused on elementary important things, which are described by
interactive use of Java-programs running on WWW. Almost all theoretical formulas
are left out mainly because they are not needed and also from an obstinate
point of wiew. Normally any formulas are used because they are easy to handle mathematically
but have no important direct relevance to an understanding of physics. One such
example is the most elementary discussion of the Chapman layer which normally is described
with some scale height parameters. The original theory of the layer is simple, elegant and
surpricingly functional, but it can be substituted by use of brute force simulation
techniques. It is possible to do the same with the addition of easily do improvments.
The lessons are continiously developed and will reach an acceptable
state to start from at the end of the summer-97, and will thereafter be developed and changed
according to the use of our and others ionospheric data.
jan 1997
christer juren