| Session Details | |
| Section | ST - Solar & Terrestrial Sciences |
| Session Title | Progress of Solar Terrestrial Sciences and Impacts of Solar Activity on the ST System including Climate and Weather |
| Main Convener | Dr. Nanan Balan (National Institute for Space Research, Brazil) |
| Co-convener(s) | Dr. Nat Gopalswamy (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, United States) Dr. Yuichi Otsuka (Nagoya University, Japan) Dr. Leif Svalgaard (Stanford University, United States) Prof. Yohsuke Kamide (Rikubetsu Space and Earth Science Museum, Japan) |
| Session Description | This is a special session to present and discuss the progress of solar terrestrial (ST) sciences and the impacts of solar activity covering the strongest and weakest solar cycles (1955-1965 and 2006-2016) on the ST system including climate and weather. ST sciences started centuries ago and branched into different disciplines. Starting with naked eye to highly sophisticated novel experimental techniques, observations have revealed the secrets of the Sun, heliosphere, magnetosphere, plasmasphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, and lower atmosphere where climate and weather occur. Theories and theoretical modeling have been developed for the different ST components independently and together. World-wide efforts under different umbrella are being persuaded to understand the challenges of the ST system. The behavior of the ST system follows the 11-year solar cycles though the impacts of solar activity on climate and weather are highly debatable, and a revised sunspot series has opened a new chapter in the history of ST sciences. The solar cycle 19 (1955-1965) is the strongest in the history of solar cycles, and cycle 24 (2006-2016) is the weakest in space age. Their impacts on the ST system have been studied under international programs such as IGY (international geophysical year) and VarSITY (Variability of the Sun and its Terrestrial Impact). Papers and reports dealing with theory, observations and modeling are solicited. |