Our Explosive Sun: A Visual Feast of Our Source of Light
By Pal Brekke
Springer | December 2011 | ISBN10: 146140570X | 168 pages | PDF | 28.3 mb


The center of our Solar System is a star, one among billions of stars in our own galaxy. This star, which we call the Sun, gives rise to all life on Earth, is the driver of the photosynthesis in plants, and is the source of all food, energy, and fossil fuels on Earth. For us humans, the Sun as seen with the naked eye appears as a static and quiet yellow disk in the sky. However, it is in fact a stormy and variable star and contributes much more than only light and heat. It is the source of the beautiful northern and southern lights and can affect our technology-based society in many ways. The Sun is, like astronomy in general, a good entrance to natural since, since it affects us in so many ways and connects us to many other fields of science, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and meteorology. The book is a great introduction to the Sun for general readers as well as scientists who are not solar physicists. The book presents the basic properties of the Sun, describes how it has fascinated humans throughout history, and shows how it influences our current technologies. It includes a large number of illustrations and video materials for SpringerExtras, along with a PowerPoint presentation that provides a useful resource for teachers and lectures..

About the Author
Pal Brekke is a Norwegian solar physicist with a doctorate from the University of Oslo in astrophysics and is now a senior advisor for the Norwegian Space Centre . He has worked with state-of-art space-based solar telescopes since 1985 and has published over 40 peer review articles, 70 proceeding papers, and more than 30 popular science articles. Pal wrote much of this material while working at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for 6 years, as the Deputy Project Scientist for the SOHO mission. He also has written articles for CNN, USA Today, BBC, and DerSpiegel). Brekke has been the PR "ambassador" for SOHO, traveling around the world to give lectures about the Sun. He is the recipient of the Fulbright Fellowship, ESA's Exceptional Achievement Award, and the Laurels for Team Achievements from the International Academy for Astronautics. 

CONTENTS
A STAR AMONG BILLIONS
THE SUN’S PLACE IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
THE SUN, FROM THE INSIDE OUT
HOW DO WE STUDY THE SUN?
THE SUN: A VARIABLE STAR
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND SPACE WEATHER
THE SUN AND LIFE ON EARTH
HOW WE UTILIZE THE SUN
HOW YOU CAN STUDY THE SUN AND THE AURORA
MODERN RESEARCH ON THE SUN, THE NORTHERN LIGHTS, AND SPACE WEATHER
USEFUL RESOURCES