Solar and Space Physics and Its Role in Space Exploration (2004) / Chapter Skim
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2 Enabling Exploration of the Sun-Heliosphere-Planetary System
2 Enabling Exploration of the Sun-Heliosphere-Planetary System
Pages 12-24
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From page 12... ...
Among the key ways that science will be expected to enable exploration, the Aldridge Commission report cited "monitoring and interpretation of space weather as relevant to consequence and predictability."2 To implement a sustained human presence in space, either near Earth or elsewhere in the solar system, requires a comprehensive understanding of the heliospheric system and the effects of solar activity on the environment encountered by exploring humans. This chapter summarizes the approach to achieving this understanding by discussing (1)
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From page 13... ...
The state of space weather prediction today resembles the state of terrestrial weather prediction in the mid-20th century, because current space weather observations and modeling capabilities are quite limited. Coronographs on research satellites can warn of possible CMEs, but the arrival times and 3See Safe on Mars, NRC, 2002; Safe Passage: Astronaut Care for Exploration Missions, Institute of Medicine, 2001; The Human Exploration of Space, NRC, 1997; Radiation Hazards to Crews of Interplanetary Missions, NRC, 1996 (The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.)
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From page 14... ...
In the long term, data-assimilative models that incorporate real-time data will be needed to obtain the most accurate predictions based on a given state of the space environment. SOLAR SYSTEM SPACE PHYSICS One of the major lessons from more than 40 years of solar and space physics research has been that making practical predictions of the space environment will require a broad, system-wide understanding of the fundamental physical processes in the Sun-heliosphere-planet system.
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From page 15... ...
Coronal Mass Ejection modulation, CMEs, flares, solar energetic particles cosmic ray modulation UNIVERSAL PROCESSES Magnetic reconnection, Particle acceleration, PLANETS Turbulence, Shocks EARTH Response to space environment depends Space Climate: Long-term variations on relative importance of in atmosphere; planetary magnetic field, Space Weather: Magnetic storms, rotation rate, and radiation belts, ionospheric disturbances, internal sources of plasma atmospheric heating, chemistry & winds PREDICTIONandMITIGATION Prediction Mitigation: & Effects on human technologies: space assets, e.g. humans, instrumentation, communications, Effects on hu spacecraft systems; Earth systems, e.g., electricity grids, pipelines, airliners, long communication cables man technologies: space assets, e.g FIGURE 2.1 Understanding of the interconnected system of the heliospheric system allows prediction and mitigation of hazards in the space environment.
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From page 16... ...
energetic particles may evolve as they propagate through the interplanetary medium. Similarly, the propagation of galactic cosmic rays is affected by magnetic shielding produced by CMEs as they propagate through interplanetary space.
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From page 17... ...
In the case of the rapidly rotating Jupiter, for example, comparisons of auroral processes with those at Earth test our theories of coupling between the solar wind, and the magnetosphere and ionosphere, of particle acceleration and the electrical currents that link the magnetosphere to the planet's rotation. In the case of Mars, it is important to determine the extent to which the solar wind and cosmic rays penetrate the martian atmosphere or are deflected by patches of strong crustal magnetization.
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From page 18... ...
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections, as well as magnetospheric substorms, are believed to originate in such reconnection events. Similarly, signatures of shocks and turbulence have been observed at the Sun, upstream of planetary magnetospheres, and at the outer boundary of the heliosphere.
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From page 19... ...
LWS missions focus on observing the solar activity, from short-term dynamics to long-term evolution, that can affect Earth, as well as astronauts working and living in the near-Earth space environment. Solar Terrestrial Probes are focused on exploring the fundamental 8 National Research Council, The Sun to the Earth and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy in Solar and Space Physics, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2003.
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From page 20... ...
NASA and NSF, in particular, provide the research upon which new or improved capabilities depend, and DOD and NOAA have key responsibilities for translating that research into operational systems for modeling and predictions of space weather. Current SEC missions such as the Advanced Composition Explorer and SOHO are providing key data sets that are being used by NOAA and DOD forecasters.
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From page 21... ...
Fresh insight into the science is provided through the Guest Investigator program, enhancing the overall science return. Suborbital Program Suborbital sounding rocket flights and high-altitude scientific balloons can provide a wide range of basic science that is important to meeting SEC program objectives.
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From page 22... ...
Development of new instruments using the Suborbital program provides a cost-effective way of achieving high technical readiness levels with actual spaceflight heritage. The fact that any long-term commitment to space exploration will place a concomitant demand on the availability of a highly trained technical work force makes the training role of the Suborbital program especially important.16 For example, a 3-year sounding rocket mission at a university provides an excellent research opportunity for a student to carry a project through all of its stages -- from conception to hardware design to flight to data analysis and, finally, to the publication of the results.
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From page 23... ...
TABLE 2.1 Contributions of Planned Solar and Space Physics Missions to Exploration Exploration Program Benefit SEC Contribution to Program Success SEC Missions Required Limit astronaut exposure to Predictive models of CME formation and STEREO, SDO, MMS, radiation release, CME propagation, solar flare onset, RBSP, Solar Probe, radiation belt dynamics Solar-B, MHM/Sentinels Avoid spacecraft hardware Predictive models of SEP fluxes, radiation belt STEREO, SDO, Solar radiation damage/disruption fluxes Orbiter, RBSP, MMS, MHM/Sentinels Maintain continuous, robust Predictive models of ionospheric dynamics, total GEC, ITSP, MAP, SDO communication systems electron content, solar flare x-rays Understand aerobraking and Predictive models of thermospheric structure SDO, ITSP, MAP, GEC orbital stability at Earth, Mars, and dynamics at Earth and Mars and beyond Understand past and future Predictive models of Mars's thermosphere/ MAP, JPM solar windplanet and ionosphere/exosphere structure, planetarymoon interactions magnetospheremoon interactions, loss of Jupiter's angular momentum via coupling to the magnetosphere
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From page 24... ...
studying the solar atmosphere on phenomena produce throughout interplanetary space and the small scales of space and time and in planetary environments. many wavelengths simultaneously.
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