Space Physics is concerned with understanding the environment between the sun and the Earth's upper atmosphere as well as the environment within the entire heliosphere. This course provides understanding of the structure and dynamics of the Sun, including solar events such as sun spots, prominences, coronal mass ejections and solar flares. That understanding is then used as a basis to understand the solar wind and its influence on the heliosphere to include influences on our terrestrial magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere. In addition, magnetospheric storms and auroral precipitation are among phenomena studied in the context of their effects on spacecraft, satellites, and also terrestrial systems and life in general.
