Solar and Space Physics: A Community Assessment and Strategy for the Future

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This is a proposal to organize a broadly based community assessment of the current status and future directions of the U.S. solar and space physics research programs. The study will be organized in a manner similar to the 'decadal survey' that is regularly conducted by the astronomy and astrophysics community. The Committee on Solar and Space Physics will establish a 12-person survey committee to carry out the study with input from five panels, each of which will have up to 10 members. Most Committee on Solar and Space Physics members will serve on either the survey committee or the panels, with additional membership drawn from the relevant research communities. Special attention will be given to appropriate balance between experts from the space-based and ground-based research communities. The study will generate consensus recommendations from the solar and space physics community regarding a systems approach to theoretical, ground-based and space-based research that encompasses the flight programs and focused campaigns of NASA, the ground-based and basic research programs of NSF, and the complementary operational programs of other agencies such as DoD, DoE and NOAA. During this study, the community will survey solar and space physics and recommend priorities for the decade 2003-2013. Attention will be given to effective implementation of proposed and existing programs and to the human resource aspects of the field involving education, career opportunities, and public outreach. Promising areas for the development of new technologies will be suggested. A minor but important part of the study will be the review of complementary initiatives of other nations in order to identify potential cooperative programs.