Paradigm transitions in solar–terrestrial physics from 1900: my personal view

摘要

Solar–terrestrial physics, like any other scientific field,has evolved and developed by replacing older theories with newer theories.Unfortunately, each generation of young researchers tends to learn naturallyonly the latest, and perhaps the most popular theory and believes that it isthe only useful one to pursue. Therefore, they do not necessarily realizethat in the past the theory they chose had struggled to reach its presentlyacceptable state, and that eventually it might be replaced with a new theory.Two generations of scientists or in some subjects even more generations tendto be guided by one particular idea or theory. Thus, among us (namely, oneor two generations) a high degree of agreement occurs, both on thetheoretical assumptions and on the problem to be solved within the frameworkprovided by the theory. Such an idea or theory was termed paradigm byKuhn (1970). The purpose of this article is to describe several examples ofthe transition of paradigms and ideas in the subjects of solar–terrestrialphysics. The examples are subjects that experienced a paradigm change afterprevailing in the field for a few generations and also some that are perhapson the verge of the transition. The chosen subjects are (1) Stormer'ssingle particle theory to Chapman's plasma theory (1907–1963), (2) theauroral zone to the auroral oval (1860–1971), (3) the closed to openmagnetosphere (1931–1971), (4) the current system controversies (1918–1963)and (1964–present), (5) the fixed pattern concept to the concept ofauroral/magnetospheric substorms (1935–1982), (6) the importance of theinterplanetary magnetic field (IMF) in the development of geomagnetic storms(1905–1966), (7) the ring current: solar wind protons to oxygen ions from the ionosphere(1933–1977), (8) the storm–substorm controversy (1963–present), (9) substormonset (1964-present), (10) solar flares (1958–present) and (11) sunspots(1961–present).