Heliophysics Theory Program

The Sun-Earth Connection Theory Program (SECTP) Proposal - (1M PDF)

Program Description:  The Office of Space Science (OSS) established the Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) Theory Program at the recommendation of a pair of studies by the National Academy of Sciences on the state of space plasma physics (Including the famous Colgate Report).  These studies concluded that "theory needed to play a leading role in the planned development of the field of solar terrestrial physics."  Click on the Proposal link above for more information.

NASA’s Heliophysics Theory Program – Accomplishments in the Last Cycle (2008)
J.M. Grebowsky, NASA GSFC

NASA's Sun-Earth Connection Theory Program 2005
From presentation at the Fall 2006 AGU Meeting, San Francisco, CA 
J.M. Grebowsky, NASA GSFC

Research Highlights from the 3-Year Award Period FY08 through FY10:

• The Dynamics of Interchange Reconnection, S. Antiochos, GSFC
• Research highlights from HTP project: Towards Achieving Closure on Key Questions in Magnetic
  Reconnection, W. Daughton/LANL
• Energization of the Open Field Lines in the Fast Solar Wind, G. Fisher, UC Berkeley
• Determining the Electric Field and Energy Flux in the Sun’s Atmosphere, G. Fisher, UC Berkeley
• Forecasting the impact of a sudden stratospheric warming on the ionosphere, T. Fuller-Rowell, U. Colorado
• Regulation of Solar Wind–Magnetosphere Coupling by Ionospheric Outflows, W. Lotko, Dartmouth
• Dissipation and intrinsic nonlinearity of a turbulent low-collisonality plasma, W Matthaeus, U of Delaware
• Evidence for Inhomogenous heating of the solar wind., W Matthaeus, U of Delaware
• The Source Region of the Slow Solar Wind, Zoran Mikic, Predictive Science, Inc.
• Ring Current Evolution During Magnetic Storms and Associated Plasma Wave Excitation, R. Thorne, UCLA
• Consequences of Violation of Frozen-in Flux at the end of Substorm Growth Phase, Toffoletto, Rice
• Spacequakes and Interchange Oscillations, Toffoletto, Rice

2008 Accomplishments:

• Corona Prediction for the August 1, 2008 Total Solar Eclipse (Z. Mikic/Predictive Science, Inc.)
• Alfvénic Density Holes and Ionospheric Upwelling (W. Lotko/Dartmouth College)
• Supersonic Neutral Winds in High-Latitude Thermosphere (R. Schunk/USU)
• Injection Of A Plasma Bubble Into The Inner Magnetosphere (F. Toffoletto/Rice U)
• Coupled model of Integrated Dynamics through Earth’s Atmosphere
  (IDEA) (T. Fuller-Rowell/U. Colorado Boulder)
• Energy Conversion by Reconnection in Substorms and Solar Flares (J. Birn/LAN)
• Modeling the Excitation of EMIC Waves from a Source Population in the Plasmasheet (R. Thorne/UCLA)
• Simulations of Global-Scale Dynamo Action and Magnetism in Rapidly Rotating Suns (Y. Toomre/University of Colorado)
• Non-Linear Driving of Equatorial E-Field (A. Richmond/NCAR)
• A Model for Solar Coronal Jets (S. Antiochos/NASA/GSFC)
• Transition From Collisionless To Collisional Reconnection (W. Daughton/LANL)

2006 Accomplishments:

2005 Accomplishments:

• Toward Predicting Coronal Mass Ejections (S. Antiochos/NRL)
• Cessation of Magnetic Reconnection (J. Birn/LANL)
• Similarities and Differences between Earthlike Magnetospheres (H. Karimabadi/University of California, San Diego)
• Why are Downward Auroral Currents Turbulent? (W. Lotko/Dartmouth)
• Mesospheric Influence on Stratospheric Dynamics? (A. Richmond/NCAR)
• Predicting the Structure of the Corona Prior to Eclipses (Solar Physics Group, SAIC, San Diego, CA)

2004 Accomplishments:

• New Picture of a megnetic Storm (R. Wolf/Rice University)
• Scaling of Planetary Magnetosphere Boundaries and Processes (H. Karimabadi/University of California, San Diego)
• Neutral Polar Wind (R. Schunk/USU)

2003 Accomplishments:

• Topological Complexity in 3D Magnetic Reconnection (S. Antiochos/NRL)
• Auroral Effects on Thin Current Sheets in The Earth's Magnetotail (J. Birn/LANL)
• Coronal Heating Source (J. Hollweg/University of New Hampshire)
• The Origin of Solar Eruptions (J. Hollweg/University of New Hampshire)
• Planetary Magnetosphere Configurations (H. Karimabadi/University of California, San Diego)
• Multiscale Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (W. Lotko/Dartmouth
• Ionospheric Plasma Response to Sub Auroral Plasma Drift Structures (R. Schunk/USU)
• Solar Dynamo Source (J. Toomre/University of Colorado, Boulder)
• Source of the Plasmapause Shoulder (R. Wolf/Rice University)

NASA's Sun-Earth Connection Theory Program - Into the 3rd Decade
From presentation at the Fall 2002 AGU Meeting, San Francisco, CA 
J.M. Grebowsky/NASA GSFC

2002 Accomplishments:

• Coronal Heating Time Dependence (S. Antiochos/NRL)
• Catastrophe Model of Substorm Onset (J. Birn/LANL)
• Coronal Heating Source (J. Hollweg/University of New Hampshire)
• Prompt Creation Of New Radiation Belts (W. Lotko/Dartmouth)
• Heliospheric Transport Across Magnetic Fields (W. Matthaeus/U. Delaware)
• Wave-driven turbulence and kinetic dissipation in the Solar Corona (W. Matthaeus/U. Delaware)
• Magnetic Storms, Fossil Neutral Winds and Ionospheric Electric Fields (R. Roble/NCAR)
• Model Predicts New Magnetospheric Phenomenon (R. Wolf/Rice University)
• Earth's Ring Current Morphology - A Merging of Theory with Observations (R. Wolf/Rice University)

2001 Accomplishments:

• Reconnection of Magnetic Flux Tubes (S. Antiochos/NRL)
• Deceleration of Helium ions in the Solar Wind (J. Hollweg/University of New Hampshire)
• Source of Solar Energetic Particles - A new theory for solar energetic particles - A near Earth signature of remote CME's (J. Hollweg/University of New Hampshire)
• Diurnal and Seasonal Control of Auroral Precipitation (W. Lotko/Dartmouth)
• Space Weather Dependent on Lower Atmosphere Source? (R. Roble/NCAR)
• High Latitude Ionospheric Irregularities (R. Schunk/USU)
• History of Magnetic Activity (G. Siscoe/BU)
• Turbulent Convection Drives Strong Differential Rotation (J. Toomre/University of Colorado)
• Test for a Magnetospheric Substorm Onset Mechanism (R. Wolf/Rice University)

2000 Accomplishments:

• Magnetic Levitation on the Sun (S. Antiochos/NRL)
• Magnetic Configuration to Support Solar Prominences ( Mikic/SAIC)
• Propagating Atmospheric Holes (R. Schunk/USU)
• Mesoscale Turbulence - The Natural Magnetosphere State (G. Siscoe/BU)