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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
BIBLIOMETRIC SURVEY
A bibliometric survey of the fields of solar and space physics was conducted to provide a measure of the
health of the field. Using the Thomsen-ISI (Institute for Scientific Information) Web of Science bibliometric
database, the number of publications in the three broad areas of solar and space physics (solar and heliospheric physics, magnetospheric physics, and upper atmosphere and ionospheric physics) were examined
for the period 2001 to 2009. The results shown in Figure D.9 indicate that the fields have experienced
significant growth over the decade, with productivity increasing overall in the latter half of the decade. The
share of U.S. publications relative to the rest of the world over this time interval has remained constant,
with about 50 percent of the total papers published by U.S. investigators. The subdiscipline with the most
variability year-to-year is magnetospheric physics, and it shows a 7 percent decline from 2008 to 2009.
FIGURE D.9 Number of papers published in solar and space physics, worldwide. SOURCE: Courtesy of Mark Moldwin, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, for the Education and Workforce Working Group
of the Decadal Strategy for Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics).
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
1400
1500
2400
2600
2800
3000
3200
3400
3600
3800
2000
2002
2004
2 006
2 008
2 010
Bibliometric Data
Solar
Ionosphere
Magnetosphere
Total
Papers per Year (Discipline)
Total
Year
Figure D-9