--------------------------------------------------------------------
4. SPECIAL SESSION AT 1995 SPRING AGU MEETING - MAGNETIC HELICITY IN 
   SOLAR AND SPACE PLASMAS
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From: David Rust (dave_rust@jhuapl.edu)

To: Solar/Heliospheric Community
From:  David Rust

At the Spring AGU meeting there will be a special session entitled 
"Magnetic Helicity in Solar and Space Plasmas."  Here is some 
background on the origins of this special session:  In the past few
years, there has been a growing awareness in the solar physics 
community that twisted magnetic fields not only play a central role
in producing solar activity but that they can be detected in the
solar atmosphere and their properties measured.  Yohkoh X-ray images
show many sinuous erupting features in the solar corona.  The
helical fields appear to obey global distribution laws that probably
have their origin in the solar dynamo.  These fields are ejected
into the heliosphere and have been detected in interplanetary
magnetic clouds.  Conservation of helicity in plasmas was first
established in a famous explanation proposed by J.B. Taylor of
magnetic relaxation in laboratory experiments.  Spheromaks are now 
being used to further explore the behavior of colliding helical flux
ropes.  In magnetospheric physics, several recent papers have
invoked the concept of magnetic helicity conservation to explain
various phenomena.  The purpose, then, of the special session is to
bring together solar and space physicists, and laboratory researchers
and theoreticians interested in the topology, consequences,
applications, and limitations of magnetic helicity conservation in
plasmas.  The subject will be interpreted broadly enough so that 
various applications and theoretical approaches can cross fertilize.
Those who might be interested in participating in this session should
send me email at dave_rust@jhuapl.edu or drust@aplsp.dnet.nasa.gov. 

Sincerely,

David Rust			Internet:	dave_rust@jhuapl.edu
				Solarmail:	drust@solar
				Fax:		301-953-6670
				Vox:		301-953-5414
Applied Physics Laboratory
Johns Hopkins Road
Laurel, Maryland 20723
U.S.A.