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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
4
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Research Recommendations
Baseline Priority for NASA and NSF: Complete the Current Program
The survey committee’s recommended program for NSF and NASA assumes continued support in the
near term for the key existing program elements that constitute the Heliophysics Systems Observatory
(HSO) and successful implementation of programs in advanced stages of development.
NASA’s existing heliophysics flight missions and NSF’s ground-based facilities form a network of observing platforms that operate simultaneously to investigate the solar system. This array can be thought of as
a single observatory—the Heliophysics Systems Observatory (HSO) (see Figure 1.2). The evolving HSO
lies at the heart of the field of solar and space physics and provides a rich source of observations that can
be used to address increasingly interdisciplinary and long-term scientific questions. Missions now under
development will expand the HSO and drive scientific discovery. For NASA, these include the following:
• The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP; Living With a Star (LWS) program, 2012 launch 2 ) and related
Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL; first launch 2013) will determine the mechanisms that control the energy, intensity, spatial distribution, and time variability of Earth’s radiation belts.
2 Following its launch on August 30, 2012, RBSP was renamed the Van Allen Probes.
TABLE S.2 Summary of Top-Level Decadal Survey Applications Recommendations
Priority
Recommendation
NASA
NSF
Other
1.0
Recharter the National Space Weather Program
X
X
X
2.0
Work in a multiagency partnership to achieve continuity of solar and solar wind observations
X
X
X
2.1
Continue solar wind observations from L1 (DSCOVR, IMAP)
X
X
2.2
Continue space-based coronagraph and solar magnetic field measurements
X
X
2.3
Evaluate new observations, platforms, and locations
X
X
X
2.4
Establish a space weather research program at NOAA to effectively transition research to
operations
X
2.5
Develop and maintain distinct funding lines for basic space physics research and for space
weather specification and forecasting
X
X
X
TABLE S.1 Summary of Top-Level Decadal Survey Research Recommendations
Priority
Recommendation
NASA
NSF
Other
0.0
Complete the current program
X
X
1.0
Implement the DRIVE initiative
Small satellites; midscale NSF projects; vigorous ATST and synoptic program support;
science centers and grant programs; instrument development
X
X
X
2.0
Accelerate and expand the Heliophysics Explorer program
Enable MIDEX line and Missions of Opportunity
X
3.0
Restructure STP as a moderate-scale, PI-led line
X
3.1
Implement an IMAP-like mission
X
3.2
Implement a DYNAMIC-like mission
X
3.3
Implement a MEDICI-like mission
X
4.0
Implement a large LWS GDC-like mission
X
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
4
SOLAR AND SPACE PHYSICS: A SCIENCE FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Research Recommendations
Baseline Priority for NASA and NSF: Complete the Current Program
The survey committee’s recommended program for NSF and NASA assumes continued support in the
near term for the key existing program elements that constitute the Heliophysics Systems Observatory
(HSO) and successful implementation of programs in advanced stages of development.
NASA’s existing heliophysics flight missions and NSF’s ground-based facilities form a network of observing platforms that operate simultaneously to investigate the solar system. This array can be thought of as
a single observatory—the Heliophysics Systems Observatory (HSO) (see Figure 1.2). The evolving HSO
lies at the heart of the field of solar and space physics and provides a rich source of observations that can
be used to address increasingly interdisciplinary and long-term scientific questions. Missions now under
development will expand the HSO and drive scientific discovery. For NASA, these include the following:
• The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP; Living With a Star (LWS) program, 2012 launch 2 ) and related
Balloon Array for RBSP Relativistic Electron Losses (BARREL; first launch 2013) will determine the mechanisms that control the energy, intensity, spatial distribution, and time variability of Earth’s radiation belts.
2 Following its launch on August 30, 2012, RBSP was renamed the Van Allen Probes.
TABLE S.2 Summary of Top-Level Decadal Survey Applications Recommendations
Priority
Recommendation
NASA
NSF
Other
1.0
Recharter the National Space Weather Program
X
X
X
2.0
Work in a multiagency partnership to achieve continuity of solar and solar wind observations
X
X
X
2.1
Continue solar wind observations from L1 (DSCOVR, IMAP)
X
X
2.2
Continue space-based coronagraph and solar magnetic field measurements
X
X
2.3
Evaluate new observations, platforms, and locations
X
X
X
2.4
Establish a space weather research program at NOAA to effectively transition research to
operations
X
2.5
Develop and maintain distinct funding lines for basic space physics research and for space
weather specification and forecasting
X
X
X
TABLE S.1 Summary of Top-Level Decadal Survey Research Recommendations
Priority
Recommendation
NASA
NSF
Other
0.0
Complete the current program
X
X
1.0
Implement the DRIVE initiative
Small satellites; midscale NSF projects; vigorous ATST and synoptic program support;
science centers and grant programs; instrument development
X
X
X
2.0
Accelerate and expand the Heliophysics Explorer program
Enable MIDEX line and Missions of Opportunity
X
3.0
Restructure STP as a moderate-scale, PI-led line
X
3.1
Implement an IMAP-like mission
X
3.2
Implement a DYNAMIC-like mission
X
3.3
Implement a MEDICI-like mission
X
4.0
Implement a large LWS GDC-like mission
X