Space Weather Week — A Coming Together of the Space Weather Community

1. Space Weather Week brings a unique blend of researchers, users, and vendors to Boulder for face-to-face discussions about the useful application of research to user needs and recent implementation of improved products from SEC. Researchers and users sometime seem to be talking about different problems but in fact are looking at space weather from different perspectives. The Conference allows those differences to be resolved and results in more focused research and better user products. Researcher and user issues are addressed that cover the full spectrum of space weather, from the Sun to the surface of Earth, and that integrate the many national and international space weather programs. Space Weather Week— A Coming Together of the Space Weather Community Barbara Poppe and Terry Onsager NOAA Space Environment Center How is the environment disturbed by solar events? How do space environment disturbances affect my systems? • Approximately 140 Researchers attended Space Weather Week 2000. • They were from • US and foreign Universities • Universities and organizations supported by the National Space Weather Program • Government agencies (NSF, NOAA, NASA, DoD …) • Industries supported by DoD • Approximately 50 Users attended Space Weather Week 2000. • They were from • Industry • Vendor community • News Media • NASA, FEMA, and other Government Agencies • General Public Researchers Users Moving Research into Operations Space Weather Week features “Prediction Challenges” to find the most promising research models to enhance operational space weather support. Models whose value is demonstrated through the Prediction Challenges become candidates for transition to operations through the SEC Rapid Prototyping Center. How do we facilitate researcher-user interactions that result in relevant development? • Approximately 30 SEC staff attended Space Weather Week 2000. • They were • Researchers • Forecasters • Soltechs • Outreach staff • Support staff “Space Weather Week provides an essential service to the space weather community. The National Science Foundation is extremely interested in seeing its basic research results serve society. For space weather, that means scientists and space weather "customers" must learn about and appreciate each others needs and interests. Space Weather Week provides exactly the right forum for this critical exchange of information and ideas.”—Dr. Richard Behnke, Head, Upper Atmosphere Research Section, National Science Foundation SEC An Example of a figure and Text