Paradigm transition in cosmic plasma physics

• During the 1970's in situ measurements in the magnetospheres, including the solar wind region ("solar magnetosphere") drastically changed our understanding of the properties of cosmic plasmas. Further, we have learned how to generalize results from plasma investigations in one region to other regions. This means that laboratory investigations of plasmas of the size of, say, 10 cm can be used to achieve better understanding of cosmic plasmas of magnetospheric dimensions; say, 1010 cm. By another step of 109 we can transfer laboratory and magnetospheric results to galactic plasmas of, say, 1019 cm. A third jump of 109 brings us up to the Hubble distance 1028 cm and hence to cosmological problems (see Figure 1).

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Fusion, plasma och rymdfysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Fusion, Plasma and Space Physics (hsv//eng)

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