Course content - Learning outcome - Admission - Prerequisites - Overlapping courses - Teaching - Examination - Evaluation

Course content

The content of the course is the physics of the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere and upper atmosphere system, with emphasis placed on electrodynamic coupling processes in the active plasma regimes around the pole where the aurora borealis is located. Specific topics are (i) electrodynamic coupling mechanisms, (ii) electric field and current systems, and (iii) energy- and momentum transfer in connection with day- and nightside auroral activities.

Learning outcome

To obtain a good understanding of:

• physical phenomena in the Earth's upper atmosphere and the magnetosphere such as plasma convection, electric currents, particle precipitation and auroral activities as a function of solar activities, conditions in the solar wind, and electrodynamic coupling processes in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system.
• the different categories of space weather (magnetic storms) appearing in association with high-speed streams from coronal holes on the Sun and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
• corresponding phenomena on the big gas planets Jupiter and Saturn.

Admission

PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb.

If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.

PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.

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Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

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Recommended previous knowledge

FYS3610 - Space physics

Overlapping courses

10 credits overlap against FYS355.

10 credits with FYS4610 - Magnetospheric processes

Teaching

The course is given in the spring term and contains 4 hours of teaching (lectures and exercises) per week. Student will have to present new scientific articles during lectures.

Access to teaching

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Examination

Oral exam at the end of the semester.

Examination support material

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Language of examination

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Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Explanations and appeals

You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.

Resit an examination

You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.

Withdrawal from an examination

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Special examination arrangements

If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Evaluation

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.