Geospace Cluster (AGS-GC)

The Geospace Cluster (GC) in the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) supports fundamental and solutions-oriented research, technology development and education related to the Earth's near-space environment (including the mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere, exosphere, magnetosphere and radiation belts) and the inner heliosphere and solar atmosphere. The GC advances knowledge of the Sun--Earth system, including how various parts of the system are coupled through dynamical, electrodynamical and chemical processes. The GC supports research on the societal impacts of these processes including space weather and upper atmosphere climate change, with the aim of increasing resilience to such natural hazards. The GC supports research that uses ground-based or space-based observational facilities and instruments as well as data centers and a broad range of theoretical, modeling, observational, data analyses and laboratory activities. General research topics that are supported by the GC include, but are not limited to: Aeronomy, including studies of wave dynamics, ionization, recombination, chemical reaction, photo emission and transport of energy and momentum within and between the mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere of the Earth; how this global system is coupled to the stratosphere below and magnetosphere above; and the plasma physics of phenomena manifested in the coupled ionosphere-magnetosphere system. Magnetospheric physics, including studies of the magnetosphere, or the cavity carved out of the solar wind by the Earth's magnetic field, its energization by the solar wind and population by solar and ionospheric sources; waves and instabilities in such natural plasmas; the origin of planetary electric fields; the origin of geomagnetic storms and substorms; and the coupling among the radiation belts, magnetosphere, ionosphere and atmosphere. Solar-terrestrial physics, including how energy generation and eruptive processes occur in the solar atmosphere and how energy and momentum are transported within the Sun-Earth system; solar dynamo, solar activity cycle and magnetic flux emergence; eruptive activity including solar flares and coronal mass ejections; solar wind heating, solar energetic particles and interactions with cosmic rays; solar wind/magnetosphere boundary; and helioseismology. Space weather and space climate, including solar or terrestrial drivers of space weather; observations and modeling of the integrative geospace system that could lead to better predictive capabilities of the time-varying space environment; and characterizat…