The Earth's magnetosphere and plasmasphere contain different kinds of hot plasma populations formed by numerous processes in the magnetosphere. This plasma interacts with various types of waves. Very low frequency (VLF), extremely low frequency (ELF) and certain ultra low frequency (ULF) waves can be spontaneously generated via interactions between particles and waves.

ELF and VLF waves generated by human activity, especially waves radiating from power lines, are evidently becoming a more important part of the wave population in space.

While propagating through the magnetosphere and the plasmasphere, ULF waves can modulate the probability for spontaneous interaction between particles and ELF and VLF waves. ELF and VLF waves can also give rise to the triggering of other ELF and VLF waves. In these processes particles lose energy, change their orbits in space, and can be precipitated into the Earth's atmosphere causing increased electron density in the ionosphere, x-ray radiation and optical emissions from which certain forms of auroral phenomena are the most important ones.

In this research wave-wave and wave-particle interactions are empirically studied by using ground-based data measured in northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula and theoretical studies related to these topics will be carried out.

The research will concentrate on relationships between particle precipitation and VLF-waves, the indications of Earth-space coupling, including the importance of man-made electromagnetic waves, and theoretical formulation of the processes.