Below are the abstracts presented during the 2026 Boulder Solar Alliance REU Symposium, held during the final week of the program.
Student name in BOLD
Imaging the Solar Wind Transition with PUNCH
Riley Amos1, Craig DeForest2
1Smith College, 2Southwest Research Institute
The solar wind is a continuous stream of magnetized plasma originating from the Sun’s corona and flowing outwards throughout the whole solar system. The solar wind close to the corona is young and magnetically structured. This is because, close to the corona, the sun’s magnetic field dominates over hydrodynamic forces. This structured young solar wind forms radial patterns called striations, resulting from the restoring force of the magnetic field itself (plasma β is low). As the young solar wind travels farther into the heliosphere, hydrodynamics or magnetohydrodynamics take over, resulting in a less structured flow and a higher β. This transition has been observed previously with data from the Heliospheric Imager instrument on board the Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STERO/HI). However, with the recent launch of the Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH), higher resolution images are now available to explore this transition with a new level of precision. We present image sequences collected by PUNCH, covering the apparent distances of approximately 5.5° to 25° from the center of the sun. We explore the image processing procedure to see fine details of the structure in PUNCH images. From these images, we have observed changes in morphology and texture that indicate the transition from coronal flow to solar wind flow and evolution.
Indirectly Imaging Solar Magnetic Flare Reconnection Regions
Kyrtjana Bade1, Chris Lowder2, William Ashfield2
1University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, 2Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
Energy released in a solar flare after reconnection travels down to the chromosphere, heating the plasma and leaving flare ribbons, shadows of the structure of reconnection. Previous studies have used flare ribbon analysis as a substitute for direct observation of reconnection. The first flare analyzed in this study is a well-studied flare, for its “close to perfect” flare ribbons, which occurred on April 18th 2014. The ribbons, as observed with SDO/AIA and IRIS, were dewarped by remapping them to a coordinate frame created by translating the Polarity Inversion Line (PIL) into coordinates along and perpendicular to the PIL. Reframing the ribbons in this way allows magnetic field modeling to further un-distort the current sheet signal as mapped in the ribbon signatures. Using flare ribbons to indirectly image reconnection is made difficult by the rarity of two-ribbon flares of sufficiently simple geometry. Flare ribbons with greatly differing sizes, shapes, or positions are much more difficult to investigate because the magnetic field connections between the two ribbons are not directly proportional and are often filled with instabilities. We have identified similar flares for analysis and formatted them into a catalog. The same methods as above are being used to analyse a flare occurring on Feb. 3rd, 2026. Reconnection is a key part of solar flares, being able to better understand the process leads to more knowledge of solar flares and a greater grasp of space weather and its effects.
Interhemispheric Asymmetry in Geomagnetic Disturbances: Observations and Simulations
Debra Bradfield1, Jonas Yu Hong2, Kevin Pham2, Haonan Wu2, Jordi Vila-Pérez2
1Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach, 2National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory
Geomagnetic disturbances are driven by complex interactions between the solar wind, Earth’s magnetosphere, and the upper atmosphere, yet the contributions of distinct current systems and their hemispheric differences remain unclear. We investigate these asymmetries during selected geomagnetic storm events using field-aligned current (FAC) observations from the Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics Response Experiment (AMPERE) satellites together with global ground-based magnetometer measurements. By comparing magnetic signatures from both hemispheres and using geospace model simulations, we examine how ionospheric and magnetospheric current systems contribute to the observed disturbances. This study aims to identify the dominant physical drivers of interhemispheric differences in geomagnetic disturbances by combining observations with physics-based simulations, thereby improving our understanding of geomagnetic storm dynamics and space weather impacts such as power grid and satellite navigations.
Threshold Emission Cross Sections of the LBH Band System by Electron Impact with
Application to Planetary Atmospheres
Benjamin Condit1, Joseph Ajello2, Saurav Aryal2, Greg Holsclaw2, Wyatt ZagorecMarks2
1Williams College, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
This abstract addresses a long-standing concern about the Lyman-Birge-Hopfield (LBH) emissions observed in planetary atmospheres, namely, the contribution of cascade effects to the LBH emissions at low electron impact energies. Previous research has not accounted for the longer decay times of the LBH transitions and has consequently produced measurements of the total emission cross sections that are lacking contributions from the cascade effects. LBH is a key emission for characterizing atmospheric N2 on Earth by GOLD, Titan by Cassini, and other planets. Over many years, various improvements for measuring contributions from the LBH system in addition to direct excitation have been made, many by the University of Colorado. Our recent laboratory work reports on low-electron energy excitation results that characterize excitation at threshold electron impact energies ranging from 8-30 eV and the production of the LBH band system, including cascade contributions. The importance of this threshold energy analysis is that for the first time, laboratory measurements of electron-impact-excited LBH bands are made at low energies comparable to those in planetary atmospheres occurring by photoelectron excitation that maximizes at threshold electron energies of 8-30 eV.
Chromospheric Temperature Diagnostics Using Millimeter and Hα Metrics
Mar-Isabelle Costacamps-Rivera1, Gianna Cauzzi, Ph.D2, Kevin Reardon, Ph.D2
1Universidad de Puerto Rico, 2National Solar Observatory
The thermal structure of many chromospheric features remains ill-determined. This is mainly due to the limiting assumptions and ambiguities intrinsic to spectral inversions using some of the most common chromospheric diagnostics like the H Balmer lines, or CaII lines. Millimetric continuum observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) telescope have recently been used to address this problem because of the linear relationship between intensity and chromospheric temperature. Unfortunately, ALMA observes the Sun only sporadically, and the data suffers from limited spatial resolution. According to recent studies (Molnar et al, 2019), there exists a possible relationship between the Hα linewidth and the millimetric continuum temperature diagnostics. In this work we expand on this approach and compare multiple data sets that include full disk observations of the continuum in two ALMA bands (Band 3 and Band 6) and the Hα spectral observations with the Chinese Hα Solar Explorer (CHASE). Our preliminary analysis shows that the Molnar et al, (2019) results seem to hold for a variety of days and solar structures. This opens the possibility of using high resolution Hα spectral data as a standard way to estimate the chromospheric temperature.
Seasonal Variability and Solar Activity Dependence of Equatorial Plasma Bubble Occurrence in the South American-Atlantic Sector Using GOLD Nighttime Observations
Julian Feiveson1, Deepak Kumar Karan2, Saurav Aryal2, Richard Eastes2
1Whitman College, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) are large-scale ionospheric plasma density depletions that can produce scintillation and degrade trans-ionospheric communication and navigation signals. Characterizing the morphology and occurrence of these phenomena is therefore important for understanding and ultimately forecasting low-latitude ionospheric irregularities. In this study, we develop a novel image-processing approach to detect and characterize EPBs using nighttime OI 135.6 nm observations from NASA’s Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission. We process GOLD radiance observations using Gaussian filtering to reduce small-scale noise, then apply Sato ridge enhancement and Farid edge detection to identify EPB structures and extract their longitudes and depletion depth. We compare this image-based technique with a computationally simpler detection approach that identifies local brightness minima in longitudinal radiance profiles near the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) crests. We evaluate the two methods at three magnetic latitudinal regions; the northern EIA crest, geomagnetic equator, and southern EIA crest. This comparison assesses the ability of each technique to detect EPBs and capture their latitudinally evolving morphology, providing a framework for automated analysis of EPB occurrence and structure in GOLD observations. We then further apply the detection method to characterize EPB occurrence across the South American and Atlantic longitude sectors and investigate its day-to-day and seasonal variability and solar activity dependence.
Measuring Thermospheric Winds with a Satellite Fabry-Perot Interferometer:
Methods for High-Precision Etalon Gap Retrieval
Normandy Filcek1, Delaney Farrell, Ph.D2, Scott Sewell, Ph.D2
1Willamette University, 2National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory
Despite the important role of neutral wind measurements in space weather forecasting models, there are still significant gaps in data, particularly in the mid- to high-latitude regions of the thermosphere. WindCube is a small cube satellite in development by NCAR’s High Altitude Observatory. It seeks to fill this gap in data with observations of thermospheric wind speed accurate to approximately 5 km/s by measuring the Doppler-shifted wavelength of 630 nm oxygen airglow. This high level of accuracy can be achieved through a multi-parameter inversion of the instrument function of the satellite’s optical instrument, a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Before the fit from calibration data, instrument parameters such as the distance between the etalon’s reflecting plates must be determined to extreme precision. In this work, we extend common optical processing algorithms traditionally used on laser fringe patterns to account for two emission wavelengths, which grants higher precision to the recovery of instrument parameters critical to analyzing airglow fringe patterns, and ultimately determining wind speed.
Temperature Induced Fluctuations in TSIS Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) Measured Irradiance
Jason Gerke1, Odele Coddington2, Thomas Eden2, Dave Harber2, Erik Richard2, Mike
Chambliss2, Steve Penton2
1Stevens Institute of Technology, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Solar irradiance is a major factor in Earth’s climate, driving atmosphere variability and defining the incoming portion of Earth’s energy budget. One of the most important missions for measuring present-day solar irradiance is the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The latest NASA mission continuing high accuracy total solar irradiance records, TSIS is considered the most accurate and precise source for measuring full spectrum solar spectral irradiance (SSI). As such, maintaining TSIS Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) SSI data accuracy is critical, and requires correcting non-solar influences in the data like instrument thermal variations and optical degradation. This study investigates anomalous fluctuations in measured SIM irradiances between 1600 and 2400 nanometers suspected to be instrument artifacts. We observe two distinct anomalies: prominent spikes and dips between October and April every year, and a roughly six-month cyclical deviation from the baseline. Our work confirms these irradiance variations correlate inversely with temperature fluctuations in the instrument.
While we have identified this correlation, a full understanding of the causes and temporal characteristics remain open questions. We find the most likely cause to be a wavelength shift due to gradients in heat expansion and contraction of the sensor mounts. Currently the SIM operational pipeline computes a wavelength shift for each measured spectrum in the form of a prism angle offset, though the 1600-2400 nm range uses the shift from the 800-1600 nm range due to a lack of spectral features past 1600 nm at the SIM spectral resolution. We show the applied angle corrections correlate directly with instrument temperature and inversely with measured irradiance on some timescales, and a three-year oscillating deviation from the average baseline in prism angle shifts and irradiances that is absent from temperature data. We conclude this work by discussing the potential for a secondary, currently unidentified, instrument artifact that may also be contributing to wavelength shifts in the published SIM 1600-2400 nm data and manifesting as anomalous irradiance variability, suggesting a potential avenue for improving the operational system to increase fidelity in the data.
Helioseismic Investigation of Pre-Emergence Signatures in Solar Active Regions
Joe Harkess2, B. Lekshmi2, Sushanta Tripathy2
1St. John’s University, 2National Solar Observatory,
Solar active regions are sites of intense magnetic activity on the Sun’s surface and can trigger space weather events that can impact the Earth. To improve the prediction of such events, it is important to understand the emergence and early evolution of active regions. To understand the emergence of these regions, the evolution of acoustic wave properties in the solar interior before and after their emergence is investigated. Nine strong active regions (ARs) from Solar Cycle 25 which emerged close to the central meridian were tracked by location from three days prior to two days post-emergence. Dopplergram patches centered at these ARs obtained from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) are processed through a customized GONG ring-diagram pipeline to derive acoustic wave parameters. The three- dimensional acoustic power spectra of the active region patches are computed by stacking them over 8-hour intervals. The resulting spectra are fitted with a Lorentzian profile to obtain the acoustic power amplitude. The analysis is repeated for quiet regions at the same locations. Seven of the nine active regions in this study show a convergence in relative amplitude A to approximately 1.0 < A < 1.2 of the n = 0, 1 modes about 8 hours prior to emergence. The variations in amplitude versus depth with emergence are also investigated. The time of emergence is quantified using a threshold identified in the intensity maps. The study motivates further investigation of emergence signatures in acoustic wave properties using larger samples, with the goal of developing predictive indicators.
Studying Space Weather Events at Mars Using Instrument Detector Background
Kaden Hunter1, Justin Deighan, Ph.D.2, Sonal Jain, Ph.D.2, Greg Holsclaw, Ph.D2, Rebecca Jolitz, Ph.D3, Robert Lillis, Ph.D3
1Millersville University of Pennsylvania, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, 3University of California Berkeley
The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) has been collecting data at Mars since 2021. One of the instruments aboard the EMM Hope Probe is the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) which is designed to measure UV photons emitted from the upper Martian atmosphere. The instrument’s detector, however, is also sensitive to the high energy particles associated with solar events and cosmic rays. These particles produce a background signal which, though a hindrance to the study of Martian emissions, can be used to study space weather at Mars. This project examines how the pulse height distribution of the background varies depending on the specific space weather event, and where the spacecraft is spatially: whether in the dawn/dusk hemispheres, upstream in the pristine solar wind, or within magnetospheric boundaries. To assist in determining which populations of particles are present in the detector during specific events, the pulse height distributions are plotted against historical MAVEN SEP data. Characterization of these findings will allow EMUS to be used as a tool to inform Martian space weather conditions.
Surveying Instabilities of the Ionosphere-Magnetosheath Boundary of Mars
Jessica Johnson1, Sergey Shuvalov Ph.D.2, Parker Hinton Ph.D.2, Robin Ramstad Ph.D.2, Lalia Andersson Ph.D.2, Duncan Bark Ph.D22
1University of Northern Colorado, 2Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics (LASP)
Previous investigations of the Martian ionosphere-magnetosheath boundary indicate that Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities induce ion escape events at rates exceeding the background average. This suggests that Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities or “vortices” represent a significant atmospheric escape channel with profound implications for the long-term climatic evolution of Mars. This study provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of their occurrence rates and formation conditions to assess their relative importance within the broader context of Martian atmospheric loss. The methodology involved developing a filtering algorithm for data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft, incorporating ion composition, plasma parameters, magnetic field data, and orbital positioning to identify potential vortex formation events. Subsequent statistical analysis of these candidate events characterized the spatial and temporal distribution of vortex formation. Twenty-six MAVEN orbital trajectories were identified as exhibiting potential vortices, with a majority occurring near the Martian terminator during intervals of high crustal magnetic field magnitudes. These findings enhance our understanding of how Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities drive atmospheric loss and contribute to the existing knowledge of Martian climate evolution.
Co-Aligning 47,000 Images of Totality from Citizen CATE 2024
Sam Kidd1, Dan Seaton2, Amir Caspi2, Will Ashfield2
1Wentworth Institute of Technology, 2Southwest Research Institute
The solar corona is the Sun’s tenuous outer atmosphere. The middle corona, defined as the region between 1.5 and 6 solar radii, which is challenging to study as the bright disk of the Sun usually overwhelms the much dimmer corona. The middle corona is the site of many important physical transitions between the inner and outer corona. Total solar eclipses occur when the Moon completely blocks the solar disk, revealing the entire corona, making them some of the best times to observe this understudied region. Total solar eclipses are brief, lasting only a few minutes at a given location, which makes studying the evolution of the corona over time a difficult problem. The Citizen CATE 2024 project placed more than 40 telescopes along the path of totality of the 2024 total solar eclipse to record overlapping observations of visible light in the corona for the entire duration of the eclipse. This allows us to create a one hour long near-continuous movie of the corona, observing how it changes. With all the data collected there are small but important differences in the alignment of images between sites, so the problem now is to align and stitch together all the individual images. To align the images so that the Sun is at the center, without ever being able to see the Sun as it is eclipsed by the Moon, we find the center of the Moon in each frame and derive the position of the Sun. The roll angle is corrected by aligning prominences from the limb of the Sun to observations from a reference observatory. From the fully aligned movie, we can track flows in the middle corona, as well as characterize the polarization of its light. Here, we present the Citizen CATE 2024 goals, the current status of data processing including co-alignment, and current results of scientific analysis.
Chromospheric Flare Precursors in the Ca II 8542 Angstrom Spectral Line Observed with DKIST
Madeline Lundberg1, João da Silva Santos2, Serena Criscuoli2
1Calvin University, 2National Solar Observatory
While solar flares are known for their impulsivity especially at X-ray wavelengths, recent research has suggested that small changes occur in the sun’s atmosphere several minutes or hours beforehand, especially in the form of brightenings at different wavelengths and magnetic field changes. In this research, we explore whether or not these flare precursors are visible in the Ca II 8542 Angstrom line, an important infrared spectral line for the chromosphere that is sensitive to temperatures and flows, including turbulence buildup in the chromosphere.
We explore several solar flare events using the Visible SpectroPolarimeter (ViSP) instrument at the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), which provides spectropolarimetric data in the visible and near-infrared range. Ground-based telescopes such as DKIST present several problems, such as atmospheric distortion and pointing jitter, which were corrected for by comparison with continuum images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). After coalignment, we compare the ViSP data with UV images from SDO. We explore how line width, depth, and shift of the Ca II line in the pre-flare phase correspond with flare kernel locations. In the location of the flare kernel before the impulsive phase of the solar flare, we observe changes in the Ca II line, especially in line intensity. We also employ various machine learning techniques such as k-means clustering to categorize line profiles into different similar groups, as well as normalizing flows to identify rare and unusual spectral profiles. Our findings confirm that previously identified spectral signatures in UV can be observed with ground-based instruments in the Ca II infrared line, which suggests a significant chromospheric response to energy build-up before the flare impulsive phase. This research is important for not only predicting but also understanding the behavior and mechanisms of solar flares in the sun’s atmosphere.
Correlation of in situ Coronal Mass Ejection observations from upstream to the
First Lagrange Point
Caitlin Magdanz,1, Dr. Elizabeth Butler2, Dr. Eric Adamson2, Dr. Alessandra Pacini2
1University of North Carolina at
Charlotte, 2National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center
Coronal Mass Ejections are the main contributor of solar storms that impact earth and the near earth space that humans interact with on a daily basis. While remote observations (e.g, via coronagraphs) are indispensable for early detection and tracking of such phenomena, they provide no insight as to their internal magnetic field structure – the main factor determining the magnitude of possible geospace response. For this reason, in situ data from the first Lagrange Point (L1) provides the first indication of such potential when forecasting these storms, resulting in reaction times that are very limited. As solar storms can have a large impact on power grids, space based economies, and astronauts, it is pertinent to improve these reaction times. Other research projects have paved the way to a common consensus that sub L1 missions could provide information on CMEs well before they reach earth, allowing us to prepare for their impacts in advance. This project expands on this idea by raising the question of how reliable these observations are for forecasting purposes. It does this by comparing observations from L1 and sub L1 satellites, Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) and Solar Orbiter (SolO) respectively. Once CMEs are confirmed at both locations the following parameters are pulled within a 5 hour window of the initial start time, magnetic field magnitude, components, and max velocity. Additionally, as SolO is not at a fixed location in regards to the Earth, Sun, and their respective line, the distance from the Sun and Sun Earth Line are also recorded. Next the following comparisons are made, heliocentric distance vs magnetic field, distance from sun earth line vs magnetic field, and magnetic field and velocity at L1 vs sub L1. Upon comparing this data conclusions can be made about the reliability of CME data for solar storm forecasting from different sub L1 locations as well as how their magnetic fields change with time.
Filling Observational Gaps in the TSIS-1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor Record
*Colby Muchlinski1, Odele Coddington2
1University of Colorado Boulder, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
*Friend of the REU
Solar irradiance, an essential climate variable, is a key influence on Earth’s atmospheric processes. Solar irradiance is vital for many applications, including the development of high-fidelity solar irradiance variability models and in prescribing the solar forcing used in climate modeling studies. NASA’s contribution to the solar irradiance record is currently made by two instruments, the Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM) and the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), as part of the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS), onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The SIM instrument is the only instrument of its kind measuring spectral solar irradiance (SSI) from space. Due to routine operations on the ISS, the sensors sometimes have to be shuttered for several days, producing gaps in the observed data. These gaps, typically of 14 days or less, complicate analysis and spectral integrations. The goal of this project is to formulate an algorithm that fills gaps in the solar irradiance record with predicted irradiance data from the NASA-NOAA-LASP Spectral Solar Irradiance (NNLSSI) Model. Previous research has compared the NNLSSI model output to observational solar data, validating that the model reproduces variability within instrumental uncertainties across relevant wavelengths. While longer-term (year or longer) differences can manifest, the agreement over shorter-term, rotational, timescales is robust. To fill these observational gaps, the NNLSSI model is interpolated to the same wavelength grid as the observations, and an additive scaling factor is applied to adapt the model data to the SIM data. This process allows the adjusted model data to be directly spliced and inserted into the SIM observational gaps. This method provides a generalizable approach to filling the gaps in the TSIS SIM records, with quantifiable uncertainties, allowing us to produce a gap-free (spectral and temporal) TSIS SIM record . We show results of the method and quantify the consistency of solar irradiance variability in the gap-filled data relative to the direct observations. We also discuss the remaining steps before the new dataset becomes publicly available.
Sun-spotting: Validating Digital Sunspot Area Measurements Against the SWPC Historical Record
Eghosa Otokiti1, Briana Muhlestein2, Andy Marble2,3, Mark Miesch2,3
1University of California: Los Angeles, 2National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 3Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
Localized areas of concentrated magnetic activity that may contain sunspots and other solar features, are called solar active-regions. These regions are often the origin of space weather that can lead to adverse effects here on Earth, like disruptions to technological systems, including electric power grids. At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) forecasters work to examine and classify sunspot groups using solar imagery, operational procedures, and expert judgment, with a particular focus on measuring sunspot area. A new digital tool has been developed with the goal of standardizing and partially automating forecaster’s sunspot measurements.
However, the tool’s performance must be evaluated before it can be considered for operational use. This study compares sunspot area measurements produced by the tool with values reported in SWPC’s operational Solar Region Summary (SRS) products. The validation dataset includes a representative sample of solar active regions observed between May 1, 2010 and June 17, 2026, spanning a range of configurations, locations, and sizes. Differences between the tool-derived and operationally reported measurements will be quantified to determine their magnitude and frequency, as well as any possible correlation with active-region characteristics. Additionally, this study analyzes the SRS text products and historical synoptic maps in an effort to understand where discrepancies arising from operational procedures or reporting conventions rather than measurement performance occur. The results of this study will be used in future machine learning research, evaluating the limits of the tool, and understanding if the tool is operationally ready.
Do You See What I See: Climatological Impacts on Near Sun Sky Brightness at COSADA Candidate Sites
*Eddy Sanchez1, Hannah Smith2,3, Dr. Sarah Gibson3, Dr. Paul Bryans3
1New Mexico State University, 2University of Alabama in Huntsville, High Altitude Observatory, 3National Center for Atmospheric Research
*Friend of the REU
An OSSE Approach to In-Situ Joule Heating Observations in VLEO
Joshua Sendgikoski1,2, Katelynn Greer3
1Austin Community College, 2University of Colorado Boulder, 3Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
The coupled ionosphere and thermosphere (I-T) system undergoes dynamic variations that pose sig- nificant risks to national security and modern technological infrastructure. With an expanding satellite presence in the region, understanding the complex phenomena within the I-T has become a concern not only for scientists, but for military leaders, policymakers, and industry. Joule heating, a dominant driver of energy and momentum exchange in the I-T, remains poorly constrained due to limited observational coverage, particularly at Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) altitudes where in-situ measurements are most valuable but difficult to obtain. Advances in satellite engineering have made dedicated VLEO constella- tions for I-T observations feasible in the near future; however, there is a lack of study on optimal orbital architectures required for such missions. We present an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) to evaluate VLEO in-situ Joule heating observations in the 150 − 250 km altitude range across varied satellite configurations. Utilizing the Coupled Thermosphere Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics (CTIPe) model as a synthetic “ground-truth”, we leverage the NASA Community Coordinated Modeling Center’s (CCMC) Kamodo software package to simulate satellite flythroughs in model data. Because the spatial and temporal scales of Joule heating remain an open question, we evaluate configurations across a range of scales, identifying which achieve the most efficient observational resolution under different assumptions, providing guidance for the design of future I-T observing missions.
Sky Brightness Measurements for Atmospheric Characterization of Ground-Based Coronal Observations
Hannah Smith1, Paul Bryans, Ph.D2,3, Sarah Gibson, Ph.D2,3
1The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3High Altitude Observatory
Working with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) as a part of the ongoing COSMO (COronal Solar Magnetism Observatory) site survey, we used a Sky Brightness Monitor (SBM) to quantify wavelength-dependent near-Sun sky brightness during a 2026 summer observation campaign in Boulder, Colorado. Magnetism within the solar corona will provide a deeper understanding about the solar activity that drives space weather. Ground-based observations of the solar corona, including measurements used to infer coronal magnetic fields, depend on low atmospheric scattered light and stable observing conditions. Accurate characterization of the daytime sky background is therefore essential for maximizing the sensitivity and accuracy of coronagraphic observations. Variations in sky brightness and the relative behavior of four wavelength channels (450, 530, 890, and 940 nm) were analyzed to characterize atmospheric conditions across visible and near infrared that influence the background signal of ground-based coronal observations. Upon successful development and deployment of the SBM instrument, the test site in Boulder was determined to be a poor quality site when compared to previously tested sites such as Mauna Loa and Haleakala, verifying expected results. Future work can be done relating sky brightness to aerosol optical depth measurements, providing a greater context to these observations. Continued observations and analysis at various sites can be used to further evaluate the utility of the SBM for supporting coronal observing campaigns and improving interpretation of data from ground-based coronagraphs, extending the methodology of previous site surveys of atmospheric characterization in support of next-generation coronal science.
Using MAVEN Data to Investigate Ion and Neutral Variability in the Martian Upper Atmosphere through Differing Solar Conditions
Matthew Song1, Dr. Yaxue Dong2, Dr. Robin Ramstad2
1Carleton College, 2Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Unlike Earth, Mars famously lacks a global magnetosphere. As a result, its atmosphere is left largely exposed to incoming solar winds. So, the interaction between the Martian atmosphere and both solar radiation and solar wind dramatically drives atmospheric loss from the planet. Because of this, the landscape and climate of the red planet has experienced long-term evolution like no other, shifting from a potentially habitable to the current arid planet. Consequently, studying the variability in ion and neutral species could prove essential in understanding the undergone transformation. Previously, observational studies of Martian atmospheric variability were mainly focused on electron densities. However, through data received from the ~11 year NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, we are able to study various ion and neutral densities (He, CO2, O+, to name a few). The many instruments on MAVEN also provide detailed information on planetary and upstream solar parameters.
We will analyze how solar radiation and wind impact multiple neutral and ion species in the atmosphere with a focus on He and He+, aiming to improve our understanding of the source and loss processes of He in the Martian atmosphere. By comparing them to major neutral and ion species in the Martian atmosphere, such as CO2 and O2+, we will be able to properly compare trends to the greater atmospheric composition. Additionally, we will analyze the correlation of He and He+ abundance with other atmospheric species (e.g. O+ and O) and the alpha particle concentration in upstream solar wind, to provide insight into helium production at Mars. We will present our findings on the variations in the densities and mixing ratios of relevant species with different solar parameters. These results will characterize the variability in the composition and structure of the Martian upper atmosphere and its correlation to upstream solar conditions, providing new insight into the long-term evolution of the Martian atmosphere.
The Sounds of Space: Building a Sonification Database in the Magnetosphere and
Beyond
Molly Staudt1, Victoria Wilder2, Lauren Blum2
1Arizona State University, 2Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics
Earth’s magnetosphere consists of plasma and this environment supports a wide range of wave modes that can not be observed by the naked eye. Due to this, many space physics phenomena can be difficult for both scientist and non-scientist to observe. Sonification, which is the conversion of data and measurements into audio signals, offers a way to make this otherwise invisible plasma phenomena accessible through listening. Sonifying electric and magnetic field measurements help in identifying patterns or behaviors that are difficult to distinguish through visual plots alone.
The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission measures electric and magnetic field signatures, plasma properties, and wave activity with high temporal resolution. With this, MMS makes it possible to capture these rapidly changing waves and plasma structures in high detail. This mission has been especially useful for observing and studying whistler mode waves and helping reveal their roles in different magnetic environments such as the magnetopause and magnetotail reconnection regions and the bow shock. Whistler wave modes are electromagnetic plasma waves. They can be generated by electron anisotropy, mode conversion of electromagnetic waves as they travel through new plasma regions, or the presence of electron beams, and they are named after the whistling sound they make when converted to audio.
In this project we sonify whistler wave events throughout different dayside magnetospheric regions and plasma conditions, including magnetic reconnection events, bow shock interactions, and other regions such as the magnetosheath, solar wind, and hot flow anomalies. Because whistler waves can be produced by a variety of processes in the near Earth’s space environment, their sonified signatures may be different depending on the region where they are observed. Through the use of sound, we provide another way for recognizing features within plasma wave events, including the descending tones often found with whistler wave modes. With this approach, listeners without a detailed space physics background can engage directly with and begin to recognize features in the data. The resulting audio database will support both scientific exploration, education, and public outreach by creating an accessible and collaborative way to experience plasma physics within Earth’s magnetosphere.
Automated Identification of Solar Filaments and Active Regions in Hα Synoptic Maps
Peter Wu1, Amr Hamada2, Kiran Jain2
1Vassar College, 2National Solar Observatory
Solar filaments are fundamental manifestations of solar magnetic activity that can serve as indicators of space weather phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Viewed in Hα, these filaments appear as dark clouds of dense, relatively cool plasma, suspended along magnetic field lines above the solar surface in the chromosphere. Large archives of full-Sun GONG/Hα synoptic maps from 2010 to 2026 provide an opportunity to systematically identify and study solar filaments over many solar rotations. Using the aforementioned data, we apply automated image-processing techniques to identify, segment, and characterize solar filaments. By accounting for most artifacts and variation across different maps, we define a threshold mask of these features based on relative dark pixel intensity. Statistical analysis is applied to assess the detection confidence of each filament. A preliminary catalog is then created, including basic filament properties such as area, centroid location, and latitude-longitude arrangement, which can be used to analyze filament occurrence and distribution. Identifying and recording solar filaments in this way is important for a deeper understanding of these features often linked to solar storms that can impact satellites, communication systems, and power grids on Earth.