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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
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SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
9.5.3.6 Education and Workforce
At the most basic level, the field of solar and space physics needs a robust, well-trained, and talented
workforce to accomplish its science goals, as well as an educated populace that recognizes the value of
addressing these exciting scientific challenges. The SWMI panel therefore endorses curriculum development efforts across all academic levels, as well as faculty development programs. The panel notes in
particular the success of the NSF Faculty Development in Space Science program and strongly supports
its continuation and enhancement throughout the coming decade. The panel further endorses funded
training opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, especially for participation in the
development of flight hardware. Such opportunities could be provided by science grant augmentations,
stand-alone education and public outreach grants, and mission-related funding.
SWMI Imperative: Strengthen workforce, education, and public outreach activities.
9.5.4 Space Weather
As suggested by its title, the long-term goal of this decadal survey is to have the knowledge to ensure
the well-being of a society dependent on space. Actionable knowledge of space environment effects
involves the ability to characterize conditions anywhere in the system at any time in the past, as well as to
predict future conditions with good fidelity. This capability requires an understanding of the full, coupled
solar-terrestrial system that encompasses all the regions, processes, and coupling described above, across
spatial scales from meters to hundreds of Earth radii. It includes understanding the fundamental microscopic
physics as well as the global system behavior in response to variable driving. The ultimate objective in
the study of solar wind-magnetosphere interactions is to know how solar and solar-wind input at various
spatial and temporal scales determines the nature and behavior of magnetospheric populations, structures,
and processes and to be able to predict those that have significant space weather impacts.
There are three aspects of accomplishing this long-term goal:
1. Establishment of the foundation of comprehensive scientific understanding;
2. Development of sound, validated space environment models; and
3. Fielding of the optimum operational assets to drive those models.
The scientific program presented above will put in place some of the tools essential to achieving
this vision, particularly by defining outstanding questions that still inhibit a comprehensive scientific
understanding.
The development of sound, validated space environment models requires a healthy research-tooperations/operations-to-research program. This in turn clearly necessitates communication and coordination between research-oriented agencies and operational agencies with end-use requirements so that a
robust and adequately funded process exists for transitioning scientifically sound and operationally useful
models between the two emphases.
Observations are critical for an effective space weather program because they support research and
development of models and they drive models in their operational phase. Space weather observations
are available from government research and some operational programs as well as from the commercial
sector. Currently, each group in isolation develops observational requirements and observing systems to
fulfill those requirements. To make more effective use of limited resources, these observations should be
nationally coordinated, allowing research groups to provide input and possibly additional payloads to
operational or commercial endeavors. Similarly, coordination would allow operational and commercial
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
256
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
9.5.3.6 Education and Workforce
At the most basic level, the field of solar and space physics needs a robust, well-trained, and talented
workforce to accomplish its science goals, as well as an educated populace that recognizes the value of
addressing these exciting scientific challenges. The SWMI panel therefore endorses curriculum development efforts across all academic levels, as well as faculty development programs. The panel notes in
particular the success of the NSF Faculty Development in Space Science program and strongly supports
its continuation and enhancement throughout the coming decade. The panel further endorses funded
training opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, especially for participation in the
development of flight hardware. Such opportunities could be provided by science grant augmentations,
stand-alone education and public outreach grants, and mission-related funding.
SWMI Imperative: Strengthen workforce, education, and public outreach activities.
9.5.4 Space Weather
As suggested by its title, the long-term goal of this decadal survey is to have the knowledge to ensure
the well-being of a society dependent on space. Actionable knowledge of space environment effects
involves the ability to characterize conditions anywhere in the system at any time in the past, as well as to
predict future conditions with good fidelity. This capability requires an understanding of the full, coupled
solar-terrestrial system that encompasses all the regions, processes, and coupling described above, across
spatial scales from meters to hundreds of Earth radii. It includes understanding the fundamental microscopic
physics as well as the global system behavior in response to variable driving. The ultimate objective in
the study of solar wind-magnetosphere interactions is to know how solar and solar-wind input at various
spatial and temporal scales determines the nature and behavior of magnetospheric populations, structures,
and processes and to be able to predict those that have significant space weather impacts.
There are three aspects of accomplishing this long-term goal:
1. Establishment of the foundation of comprehensive scientific understanding;
2. Development of sound, validated space environment models; and
3. Fielding of the optimum operational assets to drive those models.
The scientific program presented above will put in place some of the tools essential to achieving
this vision, particularly by defining outstanding questions that still inhibit a comprehensive scientific
understanding.
The development of sound, validated space environment models requires a healthy research-tooperations/operations-to-research program. This in turn clearly necessitates communication and coordination between research-oriented agencies and operational agencies with end-use requirements so that a
robust and adequately funded process exists for transitioning scientifically sound and operationally useful
models between the two emphases.
Observations are critical for an effective space weather program because they support research and
development of models and they drive models in their operational phase. Space weather observations
are available from government research and some operational programs as well as from the commercial
sector. Currently, each group in isolation develops observational requirements and observing systems to
fulfill those requirements. To make more effective use of limited resources, these observations should be
nationally coordinated, allowing research groups to provide input and possibly additional payloads to
operational or commercial endeavors. Similarly, coordination would allow operational and commercial