Especially due to the increasing environmental problems there is a need to collect as many data as possible in the upper atmosphere. This book serves as a general multidisciplinary guide and introduction for a more effective use of the large amount of now available data from the Earth's atmosphere. It also shows the problems of the use of large amounts of time series data - for basic science as well as for environmental monitoring - and the related information systems. The book is aimed for scientists and students interested in the Earth's atmosphere which is vital for the understanding of environmental changes in the global system Earth. I Physics of the Upper Atmosphere.- I.1 Introduction to the Earth's Atmosphere.- I.2 Dynamics of the Atmosphere.- I.3 Atmospheric Tides.- I.4 Chemistry in the Atmosphere.- I.5 H2O in the Atmosphere.- I.6 Pollution of the Upper Atmosphere.- I.7 Transatmospheric Propagation of Radio Waves: The Role of the Atmosphere in Communication, Navigation, Geodesy etc..- I.8 Atmosphere as a Part of the Biosphere.- I.9 Legal Aspects.- II Investigation Methods of the Upper Atmosphere.- II.1 Acoustic Methods for Probing the Upper Atmosphere.- II.2 Hydrodynamic and Electrodynamic Measurements.- II.3 Electromagnetic Waves in the Upper Atmosphere.- II.4 Chemistry and Physico-Chemistry.- II.5 Modification Methods.- III International Reference and Model Atmosphere.- III.1 Selected Features of the Middle Atmosphere.- III.2 The Thermosphere: Selected Features.- III.3 The Ionosphere.- III.4 Magnetosphere.- IV Special Phenomena of the Upper Atmosphere.- IV.1 Stratospheric Midwinter Warmings.- IV.2 The Antarctic Ozone Hole.- IV.3 Polar Mesospheric Clouds.- IV.4 Night Glow.- IV.5 Aurorae.- V Solar-Terrestrial Relations.- V.1 Solar Activity, Solar Cycle, Coordinates.- V.2 The Solar Wind and Its Effects on Geospace.- V.3 Geomagnetic Activity Indices.- VI Data Centres, Computer Network Communications, Observing Systems and Data Growth Rate Problems, Problems with Long-Term Data, Relevant for the Upper Atmosphere.- VI.1 General Overview of Online Services and Data Centres.- VI.2 The World Data Centre System, International Data Exchange, and New ICSU Programs.- VI.3 Computer Network Communications.- VI.4 SELDADS and SELSIS.- VI.5 Data Growth Rate Problems and Problems with Long-Term Data.
