2015 Sun-Climate Symposium

Download the 2015 Sun-Climate Symposium Summary

We are pleased to announce the 2015 Sun-Climate Symposium, which is motivated by the Sun-Climate Research Center – a joint venture between NASA GSFC and LASP at the University of Colorado. The format for this symposium consists of invited and contributed oral and poster presentations in several theme sessions. We encourage your participation and hope that you will share this announcement with colleagues.

Observations of the Sun and Earth from space have revolutionized our view and understanding about impacts of solar variability and anthropogenic forcing on Earth climate. For more than three solar cycles since 1978, the total and spectral solar irradiance (TSI and SSI) and global terrestrial atmosphere/surface have been observed continuously, enabling unprecedented quality data for Sun-climate studies. The primary objective of this symposium is to convene climate scientists, solar physicists, and experimentalists together for a better understanding how Earth climate system changes and responds to solar variability. Topics will be organized around the following sessions:

1. Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) Measurements and Modeling

This session will address the total solar irradiance (TSI) measurement record since 1978, with emphasis on how measurements of the last decade have been reconciled, and have contributed to new TSI composite record with associated time-dependent uncertainties; how variability in Sun-like stars improves our understanding of the Sun’s behavior over the past three decades.

2. Sun-Climate Connection: Top-down and bottom-up couplings

This session will discuss the possible links in Sun-Climate connection, including top-down and bottom-up couplings. What have we learned about the Sun’s influence on the earth’s atmosphere during the satellite era, in particular over the multi decadal time scale? How well are climate models able to capture these links?

3. Climate Changes during the Space Era

This session will discuss Earth’s climate changes driven by anthropogenic and natural forcing. Observations of the Sun and Earth from space have provided a new insight in solar variability and its influence on terrestrial atmosphere for more than three solar cycles. How have these observations helped to enhance our knowledge of climate change to get an assessment of future climate?

4. Solar Spectral Irradiance (SSI) Measurements and Modeling

Recent challenges in the SSI observational record will be discussed over the full spectrum (UV-VIS-NIR), including recent progress on understanding spectral variability over the past solar cycle; spectral irradiance composites and comparisons with state-of-the-art irradiance modeling.

5. Societal Impacts from Climate Change and Solar Variability

Climate change can have potential impacts on social and economic implications as well as geophysical change. How can we transform our knowledge of climate change to improve the life of humanity? What is the current status of our understanding of sea ice loss and sea level rise and its impact on our daily lives?

6. Variability of the Sun-like stars

This session will address the following questions: How typical is the cyclic activity of our Sun relative to Sun-like stars? What have we learned from the Kepler mission and ground-based synoptic programs about the ranges of total and spectral irradiance variability? What progress have we made in understanding what controls the cycle length and activity range of a Sun-like star?

7. Challenges and Opportunities for Solar Observations

This session will address the observational requirements for improving our ability to quantify the solar forcing of the Earth system and interpreting its response.

8. Next Generation Observing Systems for Climate Records

This session will discuss new missions, sensors, and implementation strategies required for a next-generation observing system to meet the current and future challenges facing climate change studies.