Although there are, in addition to the classic but somewhat dated books'l-, some excellent recent books on ionospheric physics and aeronomy'l-... , their scope is quite different from that of the present monograph. This monograph concentrates on the fundamental physical and chemical processes in an idealized planetary ionosphere as a general abstraction, with actual planetary ionospheres representing special cases. Such an approach appears most appropriate for a concise in­ troduction to the field, at a time when increasing experimental information on the ionospheres of other planets can be anticipated. The main purpose of this monograph, in line with that of the whole series, is to appraise where we stand, what we know and what we still need to know. It is mainly addressed to graduate students and researchers who are in the process of getting acquainted with the field. Within the scope of this monograph it would be impossible to do justice to all relevant publications. Hence, references are somewhat selective and largely limited to the more recent original papers and to authoritative reviews, the latter generally providing also detailed references regarding the historical development of the particular topic. Cgs (gaussian) units are generally used in this book, except where practical units are more appropriate. This book has evolved from a graduate course of the same title which I gave at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C.