Scientific Objectives and Outstanding Questions in Solar–Terrestrial Physics
We invite everyone to contribute their perspectives, ideas, and open questions through the link below to enrich the discussion:
The Sun exerts a fundamental influence on the near-Earth space environment, driving variability in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere. Understanding the physical processes that transfer energy, momentum, and magnetic flux from the Sun to the geospace environment is therefore central to both fundamental solar–terrestrial physics and the development of reliable space-weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities.
This document identifies major advances, open problems, and outstanding scientific questions discussed by the community across different areas of solar–terrestrial physics. The questions are intended to provide a framework for discussion during the workshop and to identify scientific challenges that can be addressed through coordinated observations, modeling, and future space missions. The list is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather to provide a starting point for discussion and community contributions.
Outstanding scientific questions:
[SolarAI] How does the solar dynamo govern the evolution of magnetic structures in the Sun’s atmosphere?
[SolarAI] How can the solar drivers of magnetospheric reconnection and energy transfer be identified and quantified from remote and in-situ observations?
[SolarAI] What drives solar irradiance variability across wavelengths and timescales, and how does it influence the Sun–Earth system?
[SolarAI] What are the processes governing the dynamics of planetary radiation belts?
[SolarAI] How can artificial intelligence and other enabling technologies contribute to addressing open questions in heliophysics and space weather?