Introduction to space weather

The solar and interplanetary origin of space weather disturbances, as well as the related magnetospheric dynamics, will be presented. Besides the involved phenomenology in solar-terrestrial physics, some of the main effects of space weather variability concerning mankind in space and at the earth's surface will also be discussed. The November 2003 event is shown as an example of the solar, interplanetary and magnetospheric aspects of a space weather storm.