What is Space Physics?

Earth's aurora is a beautiful display of light produced by energetic electrons streaming along Earth's magnetic field and striking the upper atmosphere, making it glow. Electric currents that lead to an aurora are studied by many researchers, including space physicists here at Iowa. (NASA photo)	The sun's atmosphere has magnetic fields, which are reshaped when there is a flare or loop, as shown here. Some of the atmosphere blows away from the sun, carrying an ionized gas, i.e., plasma, that makes up the solar wind. A magnetic field is also carried by the solar wind. (NASA photo.)	Space is not empty: it is filled with a low-density ionized gas called plasma. Variations in the solar wind cause eruptions in the configuration of the planetary magnetic field, leading for example to auroras. (NASA artwork)
Professor Van Allen led America's space physics research beginning in its earliest days, with his 1958 discovery of the Earth's radiation belts. His Geiger counter was the principal instrument aboard Explorer I, which was America's first artificial space satellite.

Last updated July 28, 2003. © The University of Iowa 2003. All rights reserved. Contact information. Send questions or comments to the webmaster. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.