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IMPORTANCE
TO NASA SCIENCE THEMES
| AIM Contributions to Heliophysics Strategic Science Goals |
2014 Heliophysics Roadmap Research Focus Areas (RFAs)* |
2013 Decadal Survey Challenges** |
2020 Senior Review Proposal |
Synergistic Heliophysic Systems Observatory Missions |
F3. Ion-Neutral Interactions |
AIMI-1, AIMI-2 |
SO-3 |
ICON |
F5. Waves and Turbulence |
AIMI-3 |
SO-1 |
SABER, ICON, GOLD; AWE |
H2. Role of Solar Variability |
AIMI-4 |
SO-3 |
SABER |
H3. Magnetosphere- Ionosphere- Atmosphere Coupling |
AIMI-1, AIMI-4 |
SO-1 |
SABER, ICON, GOLD,
THEMIS, MMS |
W1. Characterize Space Environment of Human & Robotic Explorers |
AIMI-4 |
SO-1, SO-2, SO-3 |
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W4. Space Weather Effects |
AIMI-1, AIMI-2 |
SO-1, SO-3 |
SABER, ICON, GOLD |
*F = Solve the Fundamental Mysteries of Heliophysics; H = Understand the Nature of our Home in Space;
W = Build the Knowledge to Forecast Space Weather Throughout the Heliosphere
** From the 2013 NAS, NRC Heliophysics Decadal Survey (DS13)
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AIM addresses most 2013 NAS Decadal Survey science challenges and 6 of the thirteen 2014 Heliophysics Roadmap (HR14) Research Focus Areas (RFAs). The Table cross-references the 2020 Senior Review Science Objectives (SO) with the RFAs and DSR challenges. Three of these RFAs (F3, F5, and W4) are inexplicably not listed as relevant to AIM in the HR14, but nevertheless are areas where AIM has already made and will continue to make contributions. AIM measurements of NO in the lower thermosphere, a primary product of heliophysical forcing, addresses RFA F3. High resolution CIPS GW measurements along with vertically resolved GWs from SOFIE address RFA F5. RFA H2 is addressed by AIM measurements of the impact of the 27-day solar rotation on the upper atmosphere. Atmospheric coupling (RFA H3) is addressed using AIM data (e.g., PMC, T, H2O, NO, CO2, meteoric smoke) to diagnose seasonally varying teleconnections between the lower and upper atmosphere and between the NH and SH, and to infer effects of increasing greenhouse gases on the mesosphere. RFA W1, characterizing the space environment of human and robotic explorers, is central to the entire AIM mission. All four DS13 AIMI challenges are addressed by the AIM mission. In targeting the MLT, AIM explores the transition region at the edge of space. AIM characterizes the chemistry, physics, and dynamics of this region, through which space vehicles traverse, and which in the future will support space planes. RFA W4 addresses the need to understand and predict how the geospace environment responds to forcing from space weather events. AIM fulfills this need by characterizing the response of the upper mesosphere to solar and geomagnetic variability (RFAs F3 and H2).
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