Space Weather Research at the National Science Foundation

Space weather research at NSF is focused on scientific discovery and on deepening knowledge of the Sun-Geospace system. This increased knowledge is a requirement for the development of improved space weather forecast models and for the accurate assessment of potential mitigation strategies. Both of these more practical applications are key to protecting people, and the vulnerable technologies they rely upon, from the effects of space weather. Progress requires in-depth understanding of physical processes, which is done in discipline-specific programs, while investigating the complex connections and nonlinear interactions between these components funded jointly between discipline programs or within the overarching space weather research program. NSF 's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences promotes research collaboration through the highly successful SHINE, GEM, and CEDAR programs, the NSF/DOE plasma physics partnership, and the NSF/NASA space weather modeling program. It also funds an exciting variety of space weather observing platforms, including: the expanded superDARN network, the AMPERE program, CubeSats, superMAG, and incoherent scatter radars (including new state-of-the-art modular ISRs) as well as science usage of ground-based solar facilities. Finally NSF, as the primary agency charged with the health of the scientific workforce, is invested in programs for the training of the next generation of geospace scientists, and the support of early-career scientists. This talk presents some of the most exciting scientific results from these programs along with updates on the National Space Weather Implementation plan and on the status of the Geospace Section portfolio review.