Formalizing Citizen Science: Creating a New Paradigm in Space Weather Policy

Space Weather and Citizen Science are two fields that continue to evolve with our ever-growing technology. With that, comes new and evolving Policy, in both fields. “In citizen science, the public participates voluntarily in the scientific process, addressing real-world problems in ways that may include formulating research questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, developing technologies and applications, and solving complex problems.”[1] “Space Weather refers to the environmental conditions in Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere due to the Sun and the solar wind that can influence the functioning and reliability of spaceborne and ground-based systems and services or endanger property or human health.”[2] Space Weather has gained national and international attention, appearing in our National Space Policy, and has become the focal point of Presidential Executive orders in recent years. Citizen Science has also grown over recent years with the improved abilities of smart phones and technology that is being made available to the vast majority of people across the country and even the world. A Policy document about using Citizen Science to address challenges was also released during the Obama administration. A review of the Space Weather Policy in the United States shows that Policy is supporting and asking got valuable public engagement and education, as well as research and international cooperation from other agencies. Herein, it will be argued that particular Citizen Science activities could be implemented to address the specific goals and objectives in the US Space Weather Policy.

[1] CitizenScience.gov. “About CitizenScience.gov.” https://www.citizenscience.gov/#

[2] European Space Agency. “What is Space Weather.” http://swe.ssa.esa.int/what-is-space-weather