Canadian Space Environment Community LTSP Roadmap

Canadian Space Environment Community LTSP Roadmap November 17, 2009 Prepared by the Space Environment Advisory Subcommittee with Community Consultation 1

(0) Why Solar Terrestrial Science Matters to Canada A Preamble As a nation, Canada confronts many challenges. Among these challenges are concerns arising from climate change and effects on society of explosive energy release from the Sun. As a nation, Canada is also rich in opportunities. Among these opportunities is Canada s contribution to the advancement of our knowledge-based civilization. To continue Canada s leadership in world economy and science, to ensure Canada s continuing prosperity and security, investment in science and people who advance scientific knowledge is a priority for the Government of Canada. In developing this strategic roadmap for Canada s solar-terrestrial science program, the Canadian scientific community, in partnership with the Canadian Space Agency and other government departments with a mandate to ensure Canada s leadership in space, reaffirms its commitment to world-class excellence in science, to derive benefits for Canada from strategic research activities, and to help develop a modern workforce skilled in science and technology. In choosing strategic directions and priorities for the program, the Canadian community was guided by the principles enunciated in the Science and Technology (S & T) Strategy published by the Government of Canada in 2007. A preeminent goal of the S & T Strategy is to promote world-class excellence in research and engineering. The solar-terrestrial science community has a long record of accomplishment and success to support the claim of world-class excellence. Whether it was the Alouette satellite that made Canada the third country in space, or the ISIS 2 auroral photometer that first imaged aurora from space, or the CANOPUS/CGSM array that distinguishes itself as the largest and most powerful ground-based network for observing geospace phenomena, the Canadian solarterrestrial community not only has set a number of firsts but, more importantly, established research trends that significantly advanced our science. Today, the solar-terrestrial science community has the highest density of endowed professorships in Canada, an affirmation by Canada s science leaders of our world-class excellence. The S & T Strategy identifies environment, health, natural resources and energy, and communications technology as priorities for Canada. Space environment research directly supports these priorities. Through the forecasting of space weather, our research helps mitigate the impact of harmful effects of solar and magnetospheric storms on our energy and communications infrastructures and protect Canadians and Canadian assets engaged in the exploration of space. Through the elucidation of the possible role of geospace processes in climate change, our research could help with the formulation of a sound and well-informed environmental policy to keep Canada clean and safe. Our extensive presence in the Canadian Arctic is a powerful demonstration of Canada s sovereignty and leadership. In different ways, solar-terrestrial research creates and delivers value to Canadians. Space is a vital factor in both the present and future of humanity. Space environment research, fundamentally, develops the essential knowledge through which man establishes his position in the Universe and formulates the best strategy for the survival and continuing progress of the human civilization. In this context, the value of our science will last as long as man continues to push the envelope of his existence. For this reason, among many others, solar terrestrial science matters to Canada. 2

(1) Space Environment Research Canada s Space Environment Research community seeks to advance our knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of the Sun and its effects on the Earth s magnetosphere, ionosphere and atmosphere and on other planets; and to advance our capability to forecast and mitigate the resulting impact of these effects on society. As the Sun s ionized outer atmosphere expands through interplanetary space, this ever-present and constantly varying plasma the solar wind - interacts in a multitude of ways with every object in the solar system. Surfaces and atmospheres of bodies that lack a strong magnetic field are subject to direct scouring and erosion by the solar wind. The Earth and other magnetized objects are shielded from direct bombardment, but are coupled strongly to the solar wind through electromagnetic forces and fluid mechanical interactions. The result of these influences is a complex and variable space environment, comprising distinct regions that range from cool, quiescent ionospheric plasma to highly dynamic populations with temperatures hotter than the surface of the Sun. Importantly, these regions are coupled strongly through electrical currents, transport, and collisions, acting together to channel terawatts of solar wind power through the magnetosphere and ultimately into the upper atmosphere. At the same time, atmospheric forcing and mass flows couple back to the magnetosphere. These phenomena are important both because they serve as up-close examples of processes that are at work throughout the cosmos, and because they are known to affect satellite communications and navigation systems, radio communications, aviation safety, electrical power grids, and even climate. As our society depends increasingly on space technologies, and as our environment affects our daily life more than ever before, solar-terrestrial interaction has increasingly significant economic and societal relevance to Canada. 1 Physical processes in near-earth space are studied via direct in situ observation of the plasma and electromagnetic fields, and via remote sensing. Remote sensing provides a powerful means of tracking the evolution of the near-earth Space Environment on a global scale. Canada s land mass spans the largest and most interesting portion of the polar cap, auroral zone and sub-auroral region. This Canadian Advantage has shaped Canadian Space Environment Science from its inception in the mid-nineteenth century. Early Canadian researchers gained international prominence in the emerging space sciences by deploying ground-based instruments to monitor the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere remotely. International leadership in those studies fostered a rich science program that grew to incorporate in situ observations on sounding rockets and satellites, and made Space Environment research a major driver of Canada s space presence. The first Canadian satellite Alouette, which made Canada the world s third space-faring nation, was dedicated to Space Environment studies, delivering numerous scientific firsts encapsulated in many refereed publications and the training of highly qualified personnel, and leading to the establishment of a world-class space instrumentation capability. The Space Environment research program relied heavily on sounding rockets, and contributed to the development of the Canadian Black Brant rocket as a workhorse in international sub-orbital space research for many decades. 1 For example, a recent U.S. National Academy of Science (NAS) report estimated the Anik E2 failure to have cost Telesat $50-70 million US in recovery costs and lost business. (Severe Space Weather Events - Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts: A Workshop Report, National Academies Press, 144 pp., ISBN-10: 0-309-12769-6, 2008). 3

In more recent years, Space Environment research has continued to maintain international prominence and leadership - in many areas of space science. We have utilized our Canadian geographical advantage in creating the world s foremost networks of ground-based instrumentation. Our spacebased in situ and auroral imaging activities have carried forward, delivering new instruments that have placed Canadian science at the very front lines of the multi-billion dollar international program of space-based Space Environment research. Canada has also witnessed rapidly-developing strength in terms of concerted theoretical and numerical modeling initiatives for solar and space plasmas. Our science and supporting technology are recognized internationally for ingenuity and innovation, and significant outcomes of our activities include the ability to generate new technologies, and the recognition of Canada as an important contributor of transformational space science instruments, and as an outstanding environment for space-related training and provision of opportunities for the next generation scientists and scientific leaders and world-leading researchers and engineers to carry out high-impact development and science. (2) Canadian Space Environment Science Goals In establishing the scientific goals and questions listed in this section, the Canadian community took into careful consideration the international context, the relevance to the S & T Strategy, and the potential to make significant progress in solving the problems. Our community is poised to make significant advances in the following science questions under three broad categories. Category 1: How does the Sun vary? As the ultimate source of energy that controls Earth s environment and climate, the Sun represents a central concern for the community. Scientifically, solar variability comprises the following specific questions: What is the physical origin of the solar magnetic activity cycle? What is the role of magnetic field in solar atmosphere and coronal processes? What physical processes govern the production and evolution of CMEs, active regions, coronal holes, flares, and shocks? What processes are responsible for the acceleration and characteristics of the fast and slow solar wind? What processes govern the propagation and evolution of solar wind disturbances? What physical processes accelerate energetic particles in the solar environment? What plasma physical processes are responsible for reconnection, dissipation, and turbulence in space plasmas? Category 2: What physical processes control the space environment? Upon entering the space environment around the Earth or other planets, the mass and energy from the Sun undergo a complicated process of transport and dissipation. Understanding this process entails investigation on the following questions: 4

What role does cross-scale coupling play in space environment dynamics? How are mass, energy, and momentum transported through space environments? How does structure arise in space plasmas? What are the physical processes that couple magnetospheres, ionospheres, and atmospheres? What physical processes cause terrestrial and planetary aurora? What plasma processes are responsible for the acceleration and loss of energetic particles in space environments? How does the Sun affect space environments? What role do magnetic fields play in the evolution of planetary environments? How can we use the space environment as a laboratory? Category 3: How does space weather affect society and human activities in space? Disturbances associated with energy transport in the space environment manifest themselves often as space weather. Mitigation of space weather effects depends on sufficient understanding of the following questions: How does space weather affect GPS navigation and RF communication? How does space weather affect weather and climate? How does space weather affect the operations of satellites in Earth orbit? How does space weather affect our ability to explore space, other planets, and beyond? How does space weather produce geomagnetically induced currents (GICs)? How does space weather affect safety and security of Canadians? Can we use our advancing fundamental knowledge of the space environment to improve our ability to predict space weather? How can we mitigate space weather effects on society and space exploration? (3) Canadian Strengths The Canadian Space Environment research community is committed to addressing the research questions listed above, and resolves to carry out a scientifically rich and compelling, strategic, innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable program of instrument development, observation, data assimilation and modeling, analysis, and data mining and distribution in support of that research. Through these activities we will continue to build and further strengthen Canadian capacity in Space Environment research. Canada s technical and scientific contributions to Space Environment research date back to the inception of the field in the mid-nineteenth century. Our research capacity has been developed over decades with significant funding from federal and provincial agencies, including the Canadian Space Agency, NSERC, and CFI. Specific areas in which Canada has demonstrated capabilities and in many cases ranks as or is well positioned to become a world leader, are as follows: 5

Ground-based instrumentation Magnetometers All-Sky Imagers Optical interferometers for wind measurements Photometers Riometers Coherent scatter radars Incoherent scatter radars Ionosondes GPS ionospheric scintillation and TEC monitors Solar radio monitoring Ground based networks and facilities in the polar, auroral, and sub-auroral regions Canadian GeoSpace Monitoring (CGSM) THEMIS Ground-Based Observatories (THEMIS-GBOs) Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory (AUGO) Athabasca University THEMIS UCLA Magnetometer Network (AUTUMN) Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar (RISR) Penticton Solar Flux Monitor Space-based instrumentation Optical and UV imagers Optical neutral and ion wind interferometers Low-energy (<kev) electron, ion, and ion composition analyzers High-energy (~MeV) electron and ion instrumentation Radio transmitters and receivers Magnetometers GPS receivers Data assimilation, and modeling (with applications to space weather forecasting) Advanced numerical methods and algorithms for solar and space plasmas Models of the solar dynamo, solar cycle, solar modes, solar wind, and CME initiation and propagation Models/simulations of global and local dynamics of the magnetosphere, ionosphere and neutral atmosphere Nowcasting models for space weather services Low-dimensional dynamical models Virtual Observatories and Data Mining Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) Canadian Space Science Data Portal (CSSDP) Global Auroral Imaging Access (GAIA) 6

(4) Space Environment Roadmap This roadmap articulates a path by which Canada, both independently and in partnership with other nations, will make significant strides toward the resolution of the science questions listed in Section 2. In order to implement this plan we must both utilize and expand our capacity in experimental, simulation and theoretical science. The key to such an expansion is to provide a hierarchy of opportunities that stress hands-on training opportunities in the near term, allowing successful students and postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to take on roles of increasing responsibility. The capacity to conceive of and develop new instruments capable of furthering our science objectives is not only an essential ingredient for the long-term health of Space Environment research in Canada, but also a key expected outcome of our program. The staged approach to achieving our roadmap is built on the following interrelated program elements: 1) Concept Studies and Instrument Development: In order to maintain and enhance our capacity for the development of new and innovative Space Environment instrumentation, concept study opportunities must be offered on a regular basis to allow exploration of new and innovative ideas for both ground and space-based instruments. Areas of proposed new instrument development in support of potential future missions include, for example, DC and low-frequency electric field probes and high-energy particle telescopes. 2) Ground Observatories: Existing ground-based arrays such as CGSM including its component observing elements of CANMOS, CARISMA, CHAIN, NORSTAR and SuperDARN, and the THEMIS GBO array, have proven exceptionally productive both scientifically and as training vehicles. This mainstay of Canadian space research will continue into the next decade, and will evolve to include new, yet-to-be-conceived instruments and to become part of new international programs including DASI (Distributed Arrays of Small Instrumentation) and CAWSES II. 3) Small Payloads Balloons, Sounding Rockets, and Nano-Sats: With project lifetimes that are compatible with graduate degree programs, small payloads provide excellent opportunities to involve students at all stages, including proposal writing, planning and design, construction, calibration, integration and testing, launch, data analysis, and publication of results. They also serve as training vehicles for new PIs, and as test beds and demonstrators for new instrument designs, while at the same time leading to high-quality scientific results. Canada has launched space environment instruments on sounding rocket payloads at an average rate of one every two years over the past decade. In addition to sounding rockets, balloons and nano-satellites will be an increasingly indispensable element of capacity building training in instrument development and instrumentation in Space Environment research. Balloons provide an attractive, lower-cost alternative to sounding rockets for certain areas of instrument development, and they offer access to the lower thermosphere a region of emerging importance for space weather research. Thanks to recent advances in microelectronics miniaturization, the time is ripe for the deployment of miniaturized space environment sensors both field and particle sensors as a prelude to nanosatellite constellation missions. Low-cost access to space via extensive sub-orbital and nano-satellite constellation infrastructure is expected to open a new window for space environment research. Such capacity is expected to serve as a technology incubator for industrial and commercial exploitation in near-earth space for Earthobservation, communications, environmental monitoring, and sovereignty applications, for the benefits 7

of Canadians especially in the Arctic north. Indeed, future new technology will make sub-orbital scientific and commercial operations an increasing reality of space science in the 21 st century. 4) International opportunities: International satellite opportunities to fly Canadian instruments on foreign missions have been a key element of Canada s Space Environment program for decades, and proven to be highly productive scientifically. Opportunities to fly often depend on successful flight heritage developed through smaller projects such as small payloads and ground-based projects. Viking, Akebono, Freja, Interball, and more recently Swarm are notable examples. This program should be supported with a mechanism that is sufficiently flexible to cope with the unpredictable timing inherent in such opportunities. 5) Canadian small satellites: Canadian-led satellite missions allow Canadian scientists full control in tailoring mission requirements to Canada s research priorities, and therefore stand to provide maximum scientific return to Canada. Typically, these missions will include foreign instruments in order to provide expertise not available in Canada: a current example is the Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-pop; 2010-2011 launch), which is our first space environment research satellite in nearly four decades. E-POP will make observations in the topside polar ionosphere at the highest-possible resolution, to study the microscale characteristics of plasma outflow and related acceleration processes, the occurrence morphology of neutral escape, the effects of auroral currents on plasma outflow, and the effects of plasma microstructures on radio propagation. Although Canada s proposed Polar Communications and Weather (PCW) mission is primarily an operational mission dedicated to around-the-clock communications and weather monitoring services in the high Arctic, the two PCW spacecraft will likely have sufficient spare onboard resources to support one or more scientific payloads for space weather research, including an auroral imager and a space weather plasma package. 6) Simulation, Theory, Modeling and Analysis: The Canadian Space Environment community has broad expertise in statistical and physics-based theoretical and numerical models of the Sun-Solar Wind-Earth system. It will increase its development of advanced models and analysis of this system, in support of the science goals listed in Section 2. Several large numerical simulation initiatives are underway to develop advanced made-in-canada simulation models for the Sun-Earth system. These include concerted efforts to develop a state-of-the-art validated real-time operational forecasting model for Space Weather from the Sun to the Earth, based on advances in numerical simulation techniques. Modeling capability will advance to include inter-regional coupling between the solar corona, solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and neutral atmosphere, with increasing focus on predictive ability. Through a combination of Canadian expertise and international partnerships, the Canadian community will position itself at the leading edge of Space Environment simulation and modeling, on par with Canada s leadership in ground-based and space-based instrumentation and data acquisition. The Canadian Space Environment community envisions a future program with significant activity on all six of these fronts, targeted at advancing and bringing closure to the science questions stated in section 2. Ground-based observations will continue through CGSM and THEMIS-GBO, as well as the newly funded research facilities such as AUGO and RISR-C. The focus of these research programs will be investigations of multi-scale geospace processes including the aurora, and the interaction of space plasma processes and the upper atmosphere. Through these programs, next-generation all-sky imagers, wind interferometers, proton auroral photometers, meridian scanning riometers and other new radio remote sensing instruments will be developed, and will position Canadian academic institutions and 8

industries to play a leadership role in upcoming global initiatives such as CAWSES II, ILWS, CEDAR, GEM, and DASI, and to contribute to future space environment satellite missions such as e- POP, Swarm, RBSP/ORBITALS, MMS, SCOPE, and Cross-Scale. The Canadian community is developing a number of initiatives that will lead to Canadian-led missions and major contributions to significant international missions. In each case, the community will build on a combination of Canadian expertise and/or capture a time-critical international opportunity. The ORBITALS (Outer Radiation Belt Injection, Transport, Acceleration and Loss Satellite) mission will seek to determine the relative importance of different physical acceleration and loss processes that are believed to shape the Earth s radiation belts, and will provide the raw radiation measurements at mid-altitudes necessary for the development of next-generation radiation belt specification models. A Canadian-led element of the International Living with a Star (ILWS) satellite fleet, it will complement the NASA Radiation Belts Storm Probe (RBSP) and the JAXA Energy and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) satellites. The Multi-Satellite Auroral Imaging (MSAI) mission based on the Ravens concept study will be either a stand-alone Canadian science mission or a contribution to the Chinese KuaFu and/or the Canadian Polar Communications and Weather (PCW) satellite program. MSAI offers Canada the opportunity to provide the first-ever 24/7 global auroral imaging, with better temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution than has ever been achieved by any preceding global auroral imaging mission. MSAI will be the only global auroral imaging mission in its timeframe, and will complement virtually all Canadian and international space science observational programs. The Ionospheric Space Weather Effects in the Auroral Thermosphere (I-SWEAT) mission will be based on the CSA QuickSat micro-satellite bus design and carry a 3-instrument payload, to observe in-situ total ionospheric electron contents, field-aligned current structures, thermospheric composition and velocity, and high-precision satellite position and velocity. The goal of I-SWEAT is to quantify the effects of both large- and small-scale space weather processes in the upper atmosphere including anomalous satellite orbit drag, in order to improve the accuracy of current state-of-the-art orbit prediction algorithms for LEO satellites, which is necessary for effective satellite collision avoidance strategy. SCOPE is a Canadian-Japanese 5-satellite constellation mission to study the fundamental physics of collisionless shock, magnetic reconnection and turbulence in the Earth s magnetotail and dayside magnetopause in multiple scales (electron, ion and fluid scales). The 5 proposed satellites will include a mother satellite and a near-daughter provided by Japan and 3 far daughters contributed by Canada. CAWSES II (Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System - (CAWSES) - II) is SCOSTEP's project for the 2009-2013 time frame. It will focus on the fundamental processes of the Sun- Earth system during the rising phase of Solar Cycle 24 and support the development of and maintenance of international and interdisciplinary collaborations. The main research questions being addressed are "What are the solar influences on the Earths' climate?", "How will geospace respond to an altered climate?", "How does short-term solar variability affect the geospace environment?" and "What is the geospace response to variable waves from the lower atmosphere?". 9

The respective elements of the Canadian Space Environment road map are summarized and depicted in Figure 1 below. Figure 1 - Space Environment Roadmap, showing approved, planned, proposed, and to-be-proposed activities in the period of 2010-2020. 10

This roadmap presents a balanced spectrum of small versus large, near-term versus longer-term, and primarily Canadian versus international projects, with strategic connections between the different elements in the map. Experience dictates that compelling new opportunities will arise as well. The success of future projects those on the roadmap and those that are not will be determined by their level of excellence as assessed in competitive reviews. In addition to the activities listed above in which the Canadian community has a significant history of success, we also embrace new challenges confronted by Canada as we as a nation participate in international efforts to explore farther reaches of the solar system. In particular, the community has identified the Moon and Mars as systems of strong plasma physics interest, for which future exploration by robotics and humans requires our knowledge and expertise in the understanding and forecasting of radiation environments around these bodies. Although at this point the space environment community does not anticipate leading a major mission or project targeted at an extraterrestrial system, it is nonetheless our wish and determination to be a strong and essential participant in exploration initiatives Canada takes part in. It is noted that much of the scientific and instrument heritage discussed above can be easily redirected to endeavors that enable and enhance Canada s exploration initiative. As a first step, the community suggests that the CSA initiate an announcement of opportunity to study mission, instrument, or application concepts to study the plasma environments near other solar system bodies or mitigate space weather effects therein. The community notes that all its past and anticipated successes are built on the development and effective use of a talented and motivated human resource base. Many of the future opportunities require Canada to make significant new investment in human capital. There is an important need to create an environment in which early-career scientists assume a larger and more independent role in conceiving and leading appropriate research projects, in order to best utilize our existing human resources. We urge all partners involved in supporting space research to create a research support system aimed at advancing the careers of promising young scientists. In particular, we urge that the CSA tailor its expanded Grants and Contributions program to meet the community needs in the following areas: a) In the next 5 years, creating two (2) CSA research chairs in the space environment discipline targeted to strategic areas aligned with major upcoming research opportunities; b) Working with universities, provincial governments, and other federal departments and funding agencies to support a consortium-style research infrastructure. One of the primary goals of this infrastructure would be the provision of stable and long-term career opportunities for a significant number (30 to 40) of researchers and specialists in Canada. c) Intensifying our investment in scholarship, internship, travel grants, and summer schools to attract the best Canadian students to careers in space environment research and related activities. It is our estimate that, in order to realize the potentials identified in this report, as well as ones that will undoubtedly emerge in the future, the size and capacity of our community must grow significantly. Our aim is to increase the rank of faculty members (or equivalent) engaged in space environment research by 40% (from approximately 25 to 35), keep the rank of research associates and postdoctoral fellows at the present level (approximately 30) but with better career stability and more rewarding career profile, and double our graduate student population to approximately 40. Furthermore, given Canada s lack of a federally funded institute for space research, it is essential that we maintain a critical mass of research engineers and instrument specialists through a combination of projects, concept studies, and consortium activities such as custodianship of Canada s suborbital program. 11

Based on a reasonable projection of research opportunities in the next decade, Canada should maintain a versatile and highly competent core of no less than 30 specialists of this kind in order to be competitive internationally. (5) Outcomes and Performance Goals The community fully supports the idea of accountability and achievement of tangible outcomes recognizable by the Canadian taxpayer. We identify four top-level strategic outcomes for which we hold ourselves accountable: 1) Be an internationally recognized contributor of forefront knowledge of the space environments around the Earth and other solar-system bodies in which Canada has an interest. This outcome is measured in the quantity and quality of scientific publications, and frequency at which Canadian data are used in the scientific literature. Our performance goal is to rank among the top 3 in the world in terms of per-capita publication and data use. 2) Be an internationally respected contributor of space environment missions and/or instruments enabling such missions. This outcome is measured in the number of successfully implemented space environment experiments (including suborbital experiments). Our performance goal is to rank among the top 3 in the world in terms of such experiments on a per-capita basis. 3) Be an internationally significant contributor of space weather applications and capabilities. This outcome is measured in the amount of useful information delivered to clients sensitive to space weather effects in Canada and elsewhere. Our performance goal is to rank among the top 5 in the world in terms of the amount of such information disseminated and delivered. 4) Be an internationally attractive training ground for the next-generation researchers. This outcome is measured in the number of graduate students trained through space environment research projects. Our performance goal in this instance is expressed in terms of sustainable growth of the community and supply of highly qualified personnel to space-related endeavors in Canada. Reaching our performance goals set forth above requires that the following conditions exist: 1) A policy framework that recognizes the importance of space environment research to Canada. 2) A decadal funding envelope that is consistent with the capacity possessed and opportunities available to the community. 3) An efficient, competition-based mechanism to select the right missions and projects to implement. 4) An instrument development capacity (both ground and space-based) that looks beyond the decadal horizon in order to proactively place Canada in a leadership position in space science experiments of the future. 5) A collaborative research environment in which Canadian expertise and resources in data analysis, assimilation and modeling are synergized. 6) An internationally significant polar research infrastructure and capability both for scientific and strategic (geopolitical) reasons. 12

7) A deep space capability to meet the need of extraterrestrial exploration. 8) A smart and sophisticated approach to international cooperation that is responsive and has short lead-time, in order to maximize scientific opportunities and minimize the cost per opportunity for Canada. This approach calls for much expanded cooperative relationships with both traditional space agency partners as well as emerging space powers such as China and India. (6) Conclusion Approximately 10 years from today, a wave of space environment missions will usher in a new era of discovery. Canada is well-positioned for this anticipated renaissance. The era will be marked by a major expansion of scientific capabilities and ambitions on two fronts. The first is the so-called system-level understanding of how structures emerge and change dynamically; the second is focused experimental studies of fundamental and universal processes on spatial and temporal scales of their occurrence. Additionally, searching for potential impact on climate and atmospheric conditions of geospace processes will elevate the policy relevance of our research. This roadmap gives the best collective vision of the space environment community as we survey the unfolding landscape 10 years down the road. Although our path may go through unexpected turns as dictated by the circumstance, our overall goal will remain unchanged, that is, to be a significant player and driver of the next wave of space environment research worldwide. In aiming to realize this goal, the community has expended major efforts to align its activities with government priorities and to pool its resources to develop scientific capabilities of bona-fide international importance. In return, the community expects commensurate support from the Government of Canada to fully realize this potential. 13

Appendix This appendix presents a list of the acronyms in this document. AUGO Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory AUTUMN Athabasca University THEMIS UCLA Magnetometer Network CANMOS Canadian Magnetic Observatory System CANOPUS Canadian Auroral Network for OPEN Unified Study CARISMA Canadian Array for Real-time Investigations of Magnetic Activity CAWSES Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System CEDAR Coupling Energetics and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions CFI Canadian Foundation for Innovation CGSM Canadian GeoSpace Monitoring CHAIN Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network CME Coronal Mass Ejection CSA Canadian Space Agency CSSDP Canadian Space Science Data Portal DASI Distributed Arrays of Small Instrumentation DC Direct Current e-pop Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe ERG Energy and Radiation in Geospace GEM Geospace Environment Modeling GAIA Global Auroral Imaging Access GBO Ground-Based Observatories GIC Geomagnetically Induced Current GPS Global Positioning System IAGA International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy ILWS International Living with a Star I-SWEAT Ionospheric Space Weather Effects in the Auroral Thermosphere ISIS International Satellite for Ionospheric Studies JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency kev Kilo Electron Volts LEO Low Earth Orbit MMS Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission MSAI Multi-Satellite Auroral Imaging NAS National Academy of Science NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration NSERC Natural Science and Engineering Research Council NORSTAR Optical and radio component of CGSM ORBITALS Outer Radiation Belt Injection, Transport, Acceleration and Loss Satellite PCW Polar Communications and Weather PI Principal Investigator RBSP Radiation Belts Storm Probe RISR Resolute Bay Incoherent Scatter Radar S&T Science and Technology SCOPE Scale of Plasma in the Universe SCOSTEP Scientific Committee of Solar Terrestrial Physics TEC Total Electron Content THEMIS Time History of Events and Macro-scale Interactions during Substorms UCLA University of California at Los Angeles US United States UV Ultra-violet 14