Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT)

Les Johnson; Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti; Rohan Sood; Adam Szabo; Herbert D Thomas

NASA NTRS · 20240010921

Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT)

Les Johnson·Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti·Rohan Sood·Adam Szabo·Herbert D Thomas

Abstract

Continuous, in-situ, multi-point observations along the Sun-Earth line at and inside the Lagrange point L1 (sub-L1) will enable a better understanding of the three-dimensional structure and temporal evolution of heliospheric structures that drive terrestrial space weather. The proposed SWIFT (Space Weather Investigation Frontier) mission will use a new solar sail propulsion system developed by NASA to enable a suite of science instruments onboard a smallsat to maintain observations along the Sun-Earth line, sub-L1, for extended periods. Three identically instrumented small spacecraft at L1 will fly in concert with the sailcraft at sub-L1in an optimized tetrahedron constellation, covering distances between 10 to 100’s of Earth radii. This viewing geometry will enable scientists to distinguish between local and global processes driving space weather by revealing the spatial characteristics, temporal evolution, and geo-effectiveness of small-to meso-scale solar wind structures and substructures of macro-scale structures, such as interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and stream interaction regions (SIRs). In addition, real time measurements of earth-bound heliospheric structures from sub-L1 will improve our current forecasting lead-times by up to 35 percent. This paper will provide an overview of the proposed SWIFT science and mission concept.

Explore related subjects

Heliophysics In-Space Propulsion Solar Sails

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Les Johnson, Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, Rohan Sood, Adam Szabo, Herbert D Thomas. Space Weather Investigation Frontier (SWIFT). https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20240010921

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related reports

NASA NTRS2023

Time Series of Magnetic Field Parameters Extracted from Merged Space-Weather MDI/HMI Active Region Patches as Potential Tool for Solar Flare Forecasting

Space-Weather MDI Active Region Patches (SMARPs) and Space-Weather HMI Active Region Patches (SHARPs) are two recently developed data products, which have been used for solar flare prediction studies. The present work is an effort to expand the application of SMARP and SHARP summary heliomagnetic parameters to the forecasting of solar flares. A new data product was derived by filtering, rescaling, and merging the SMARP and SHARP summary parameter data series, which were further converted into two-dimensional arrays by selecting time slices corresponding to R-value maxima, where R-value is a measure of the unsigned magnetic flux near polarity inversion lines. The resulting combined MDI-HMI time series currently span the period between April 4, 1996 and December 13, 2022, and can be extended to a more recent date, providing an opportunity to correlate and compare them with other solar activity parameters, such as the daily solar flare index, which is computed as a sum of the product of GOES X-ray flare magnitude and flare duration, for all M- and X-class flares during a day. Preliminary results demonstrate a significant overall correlation, with Pearson coefficients between 0.339 and 0.627. In addition, an oscillating pattern is seen in the daily-averaged sliding-window correlation coefficient. Time-lagged cross-correlation indicates that a leader-follower dynamic exists in some parameters, especially R-value, where they lead the flare index by at least several days, which may have potential for further application in space weather forecasting.

Heliophysics↗

NASA NTRS2023

Kamodo: Simplifying Model Data Access and Utilization

To address the lack of user-friendly software needed to simplify the utilization of model data across Heliophysics, the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center has developed a model-agnostic method via Kamodo for users to easily access and utilize model data in their workflows. By abstracting away the broad range of file formats and the intricacies of interpolation on specialized grids, this approach significantly lowers the barrier to model data access and utilization for the community while adding exciting new capabilities to their tool boxes. This paper describes the direct interfaces to the model data, called model readers, and a basic introduction on how to use them. Additionally, we detail the planned approach for including custom interpolation codes, and include current progress on specialized visualization developments. The CCMC is maintaining Kamodo as an official NASA open-sourced software to enable and encourage community collaboration.

Heliophysics↗

NASA NTRS2021

PyHC Integration Strategy Workshop Report

We present a report on the 2021 PyHC (Python in Heliophysics Community) virtual workshop held August 30-31st, 2021. This workshop pulled together leading developers in PyHC to discuss how the community could improve integration between PyHC projects by uncovering high-value shared (or "key") challenges and suggested possible solutions to these challenges. The results of the workshop show that there are many potential concrete actions which could be taken to improve PyHC software and their associated projects. Key challenges may be grouped into items which involve sustaining/improving/expanding the community, improving information dissemination and undertaking technical goals to better integrate and coalesce projects. Suggested solutions to challenges ranged from smaller and/or straight forward efforts to more detailed, long-term solutions.

Heliophysics↗