Conference Sessions

CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Session 1. Cross-scale coupling processes in Sun-Earth relationship

Conveners: Nick Pedatella, Monica Laurenza, Nat Gopalswamy, Yoshizumi Miyoshi

The Cross-scale cOUpling pRocesses in the Solar-tErrestrial system (COURSE) program is focused on cross-scale coupling within the Sun-Earth environment. There are three scientific focus areas within COURSE: (1) Sources of Space Weather and Space Climate; (2) Solar wind, Magnetosphere, and Ionosphere coupling; and (3) External impacts and internal dynamics of the Earth atmosphere. The long-term goals and short-term objectives of these focus areas are envisioned to be addressed through the implementation of novel methods, such as AI/ML, integrated models, new missions, the combination of multipoint in-situ data with ground observations, improved metadata, and adoption of FAIR data principles. Societal impacts, extreme events, and improvements in predictions are also of interest to the COURSE program. In this session, an overview of COURSE focus areas and their goals and objectives, as well as details on the planned activities of the COURSE program will be provided. In addition, this session welcomes presentations that examine cross-scale, cross-regional, and cross-energy coupling processes in the solar-terrestrial system that span across the COURSE focus areas.

Conveners: Natalie Krivova, Anil Raghav, Hannah Schunker, Cristina Mandrini, and Sowmya Krishnamurthy

This session will focus on cross-scale coupling processes involved in the generation and evolution of sources of the Space Weather and Space Climate, in particular those related to the solar dynamo, solar and interplanetary magnetic field, solar radiation, solar wind, solar and interplanetary transients, solar energetic particles, extreme solar events, galactic cosmic ray modulation, as well as solar-stellar connections. The questions to be addressed include: How are solar magnetic fields generated and transported from the interior through the solar atmospheric layers? What processes control the transport and conversion of solar energy over a wide range of time scales? How does the solar wind originate and structure the heliosphere? What triggers and drives solar eruptions, and dictates their evolution throughout the heliosphere? What are the relative contributions from the different sources and mechanisms to the acceleration and transport of energetic particles on the Sun and in the Heliosphere?

Conveners: Rumi Nakamura, Harriet George, Yuki Harada, and Yiqun Yu

This session will focus on the topic of the cross-scale coupling of the solar wind with the magnetosphere and ionosphere mainly at Earth, but also at other planets and moons where the solar wind coupling with intrinsic and induced magnetospheres or with surface are relevant. Open questions include the following: How is the magnetosphere coupled with the solar wind through cross-scale coupling processes?  How do magnetospheric disturbances develop through cross-scale coupling processes?  How is the magnetosphere coupled with the ionosphere and atmosphere at various scales?  ‘How does cross-scale coupling with the solar wind and ionosphere/surface vary at magnetised/unmagnetised bodies throughout our solar system?’ We solicit presentations on these topics, based on data analysis, models and coordinated multi-point measurements in space and on the ground.

Conveners: Astrid Maute, Maria Graciela Molina, Laysa Resende, and Timofei Sukhodolov

The Earth’s middle and upper atmosphere is driven by a complex interplay of external forcing – from solar radiation, solar wind, and magnetosphere- and internal drivers such as a rich spectrum of waves from the lower atmosphere, which couples to the upper atmosphere and the ionosphere. This region is intrinsically multi-scale in space and time, therefore, understanding and quantifying these cross-scale couplings as well as the coupling across atmospheric domains is pivotal for improving predictability across the atmosphere–geospace system, advancing space weather and space climate forecasts, and protecting critical infrastructure. This session invites observational, modeling, and theoretical contributions that illuminate novel methods and data analysis, physical processes and mechanisms across the atmosphere-geospace system, quantification and impact of variability across scales, and pathways to enhance prediction. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Magnetosphere-Thermosphere-Ionosphere dynamics and hemispheric asymmetries including the response to solar storm and disturbances, storm-time recovery and its predictability; atmospheric waves and vertical coupling such as impact of gravity waves, planetary waves and atmospheric tides, their role in atmospheric circulation and composition of the middle/upper atmosphere and geospace weather; the solar influence on climate and long-term variability including the interaction of internal variability and anthropogenic forcing; space weather impacts;  and forecasting and predictability across scales in the atmosphere-geospace system.

Conveners: Maria Graciela Molina, Koki Chau, Bernd Funke, Mamoru Ishii, and Yenca Migoya-Orue

This session focuses on the development and implementation of advanced physical models and data science techniques in Solar-Terrestrial research. The goal is to contribute to the understanding of the physical processes within different subsystems on various scales, their interactions and impacts, and the improvement of the forecasting capabilities. The session invites contributions on advances in physical modeling and on the complete spectrum of data science stages/techniques: from data collection, preparation and management, data infrastructure, innovative analysis tools, AI/machine learning techniques/algorithms (applied to space weather forecasting, surrogate models, uncertainty quantification, monitoring and benchmarking, among many more). Presentations on modelling advancements, validation efforts, and benchmarking are also encouraged. 

Conveners: Renata Lukianova, Peter Pilewskie, Lucilla Alfonsi, and Valery Nakariakov

The interdisciplinary nature of studying, monitoring, and predicting solar–terrestrial physics requires close collaboration among scientists, engineers, and stakeholders within broad national and international initiatives. These initiatives bring together communities to tackle open scientific questions, carry out coordinated observational campaigns, train the next generation of researchers, and foster engagement with both the public and decision-makers.

At present, several initiatives are underway, ranging from theoretical investigations to operational space weather applications. Compared with the past, these efforts are increasingly interconnected, yet further coordination is still needed to maximize efficiency and avoid unnecessary duplication.

This session welcomes contributions on recent, ongoing, and planned initiatives that leverage ground- and space-based observations to advance our understanding and modeling of solar–terrestrial interactions.

Conveners: Kazuo Shiokawa and Ioannis A. Daglis

STP-16 School will be organized two days prior to the STP-16 symposium, i.e., on 30-31 May 2026. The objective of this workshop is to invite eminent scientists from the STP community worldwide to give tutorials/lectures to students and early-career scientists on topics related to solar-terrestrial physics. The tentative topics include the following.

  • Cross-scale coupling processes in the space weather and space climate sources 
  • Interplanetary disturbances as space weather drivers 
  • Cross-scale coupling processes of the solar wind, magnetosphere, and ionosphere
  • Storms/substorms and energetic particles in geospace
  • External impacts on the atmosphere (Magnetosphere-Thermosphere-Ionosphere dynamics)
  • Cross-scale interactions / vertical coupling in the atmosphere

Lectures will be aimed at Ph.D. students and early career scientists working on STP-related topics. The lectures would provide a solid foundation for the participants who would be essentially non-specialists in these areas. This school is only for registered participants of the STP-16 symposium