This book is an ordered collection of tutorial lectures on the physical processes in the polar upper atmosphere given at the NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) on "The Exploration of the Polar Upper Atmosphere" held at Lillehammer, Norway, May 5-16, 1980. The polar cap is an important part of the high latitude atmosphere not only because of circulation and horizontal trans- port in the neutral atmosphere and convection in the ionosphere, but also because of its unique energy sources and sinks. In addition, solar wind plasma is led into-the upper atmosphere by the geomagnetic field at the...