Ionospheric Space Weather

This book describes the concepts, state of development, and personal contributions in the field of ionospheric space weather. It explains why our society on planet Earth and outwards into space cannot work safely, function efficiently, and progress steadily without committed and comprehensive research initiatives in space weather. These must provide space environment specifications, warnings, and forecasts, which all need to be timely, accurate, and reliable. Cause and effect models of the Earth's ionosphere are discussed in terms of the spatial and temporal dimensions of background variability, storms, gradients, irregularities, and waves in both current and long-term research activities. Starting from dynamic processes on the Sun, in the interplanetary medium, and in the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere, the text focuses on the dominant features of the plasma medium under normal and extreme conditions over the European zone during the last few Solar Cycles. A unique feature of the book is a series of fundamental examples that offer a profound insight into ionospheric climate and weather. Different approaches are discussed for acquiring and disseminating the necessary data and forecasting analyses. Interesting analogies are observed between terrestrial and space weather, both of which threaten enduring social consequences, of not only academic but also economic implications. The book will therefore be helpful for the development of ionospheric space weather products and services capable of satisfying the ever growing demands on space based technology, and ready for the society of the not-so-distant future.