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<p class=""><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)">Announcing the NASA
Living With a Star Institute</span></b></p>
<p class=""><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)">Call for
Proposals</span></b></p>
<p class="">Deadline 15 September</p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)">Purpose</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The concept of a LWS Institute <span class=""><ins cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:00">(</ins></span>small
working group style meetings<span class=""><ins cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:00">)</ins></span> that focuses on well<span class=""><ins cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:01">-</ins></span><span class=""><del cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:01"> </del></span>defined
problems that demand intense, direct interactions between colleagues in
neighboring disciplines has been created to encourage and facilitate a deeper understanding
of the variety of processes that link the Sun’s magnetic variability
(radiation, solar wind, energetic particles) to Earth’s environment and
atmosphere. The goal of NASA Living With a Star program is to “Develop the
scientific understanding necessary to enable the U.S. to effectively address
those aspects of the connected Sun</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Earth system that directly affects life and
society.” Thus, the LWS program with its focus on the basic science underlying
all aspects of space weather and climate, acts as a catalyst to bring the many
research disciplines and applications communities together to deepen the understanding
of the system of systems created by the <span class=""><del cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:02">Sun </del></span><span class=""><ins cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:02">Sun-</ins></span>Earth
connection. To that end, the LWS Institute Working Groups will provide an
opportunity for scientists from all over the world to contribute to the
evolution of heliophysics<span class=""><ins cite="mailto:Meg%20Austin" datetime="2014-07-02T10:02">.</ins></span></p>
<p class="">The inaugural LWS Institute is designed to
facilitate a bridge between cutting-edge heliophysics research and a societally
relevant technology area that is affected by space weather. Competitively
selected working groups will define and scope new research that will make a
critical difference to this technology. </p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)">An LWS Institute
Working Group (WG) proposal will:</span></b></p>
<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Focus</i></b> on a particular technology
area that will be positively affected by space weather research advances, </p><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Identify</i></b> a team that is composed of
members who perform heliophysics research that is relevant to the affected
technology, who forecast or model space weather for this technology, and who
use (or who will use) this technology (when it is successfully improved),</p><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Describe</i></b> how the team will quantify
and parameterize the magnitude and pathways of the impacts on the affected
technology and will scope the new ranges of targeted research that accordingly
will be needed, and</p><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Articulate</i></b> the impacts of this
targeted research by envisioning the resulting, improved operational capability
that will make a positive difference to society.</p></blockquote><p class="" style></p>
<p class="" style></p>
<p class="" style></p>
<p class="" style></p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class="">Each LWS Institute WG is required – as a final
report – to jointly submit a peer-reviewed study that provides an integrated
view of the space weather impacts on the selected technology area, a
quantification of the magnitude of the impact for space weather of different
magnitudes, a description of the impact pathways and of the scientific
understanding achieved during the course of the WG, either a method to
positively impact the technology or a research plan by which positive impact to
the technology could be quantifiably achieved through space weather research
advances, and a high-level graphical and textual vision of the resulting
operational technology solution. The team will also provide a Working Group
Report for the benefit of the LWS community. </p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><b><span style="color:rgb(54,95,145)">Proposals
should focus on:</span></b></p>
<blockquote style="margin:0 0 0 40px;border:none;padding:0px"><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Improving</i></b> understanding of the
process and/or magnitude of the impacts of space weather on the selected
system, </p><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Identifying</i></b> the science needed to
enable our forecast ability for that system, and</p><p class="" style><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman'">
</span></span><b><i>Outlining,</i></b> if not executing,
research that may develop abilities to reduce the impacts of space weather on
that system. </p></blockquote><p class="" style></p>
<p class="" style></p>
<p class="" style></p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><b><font color="#0b5394">2014 Working
Group topic area:</font></b></p>
<p class="">We are seeking proposals that develop these
principles in relation to the effects of geomagnetically induced currents
(GICs) during CME-driven geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs). Proposals may focus
on particular historical GMDs or on a statistical analysis of many such events.
The impacted technological infrastructure may be (all or part of) the US
high-voltage power distribution network or its components (e.g., transformers,
generators, power lines, etc.), or may be equipment powered by the low-voltage
distribution network or societal functions enabled by that (e.g., communication
systems, transportation-navigation systems, or systems related to safety and
security). </p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class=""><b><font color="#0b5394">How the program
works:</font><br>
<font color="#365f91"></font></b></p>
<p class="">Up to twice a year, a call for applications will
be released for international teams of scientists to address specific topic
areas related to the broad theme of Living With a Star, including pure and
applied research into the nature of space weather and space climate phenomena
and their impacts on society and its infrastructure. Teams may be made up of
approximately 8 to 15 scientists from different research labs, universities, and
industry, from different countries and with complimentary expertise. The teams
will meet approximately twice in a 12-month period for about a one-week
duration each time. Meeting locations
may vary depending upon cost and home institution locations of the
participating scientists.<br>
<br>
</p>
<p class="">The team leader will be responsible for submission
of the proposal and for organizing the execution of the project. The team
leader should also identify a co-team lead that would provide complimentary
expertise from the engineering/user community. The primary goal of the projects
is to result in a comprehensive report of the outcome of the study and at least
one refereed team publication. One or two postdoctoral or early career
scientists may be included in the proposal to work alongside the team.<br>
<br>
</p>
<p class="">A science committee selected by the LWS Program
Scientist and appointed by UCAR evaluates proposals and makes recommendations
for support to LWS Institutes’ sponsors. UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs
administers these Working Groups and provides support for travel expenses, per
diem, lodging and local area transportation costs during the weeklong meetings.</p><p class="" style="text-align:center"><br></p><p class="" style="text-align:center">For details on submitting a proposal, please visit the website:</p>
<p class="" style="text-align:center"><a href="http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/Heliophysics/science-LWS.shtml">http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/Heliophysics/science-LWS.shtml</a><span style="font-family:Cambria">NASA Living With a Star</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Cambria"><br></span></p><h3><span style="font-family:Cambria"><font color="#0b5394">Program sponsorship:</font></span></h3><div><span style="font-family:Cambria">NASA Living With a Star</span></div>
<p><span style="font-family:Cambria">Scientific fields of research tend to split
into parallel subdisciplines as our understanding deepens. The successful
increase in knowledge of the workings of the Sun’s magnetic activity, the
recognition of the many physical processes that couple throughout the
heliosphere, and the insights into the interaction of the solar wind and
radiation with the Earth’s magnetic field and climate system, have tended to
differentiate and insularize the solar, heliospheric, and geospace
subdisciplines of the physics of the local cosmos. Technical jargons,
publications channels, and meeting venues have also been subject to this
tendency, hampering communication between the various subdisciplines.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:Cambria">The NASA Living With a Star program aims to
reverse this trend. The recognition that the many connections within the
Sun-Earth system require a systems approach, led to the development of an
integrated strategic mission plan and a comprehensive research program
encompassing all branches of solar, heliospheric, and space physics. This
has raised awareness and appreciation of the research priorities and
difficulties among LWS scientists, and has led to observational and modeling
capabilities that span traditional discipline boundaries, and increased
cross-publication in technical journals as well as the number of
multi-disciplinary meetings.</span></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:Cambria"> </span></strong></p>
<h3><font><span style="font-family:Cambria"><font color="#0b5394">Program
administration:</font></span><span style="font-family:Cambria"></span></font></h3>
<p><span style="font-family:Cambria">The University Corporation for Atmospheric
Research is a consortium of more than 100 member colleges and universities focused
on research and training in the atmospheric and related Earth system
sciences. The UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs office partners with
federal agencies and universities across the nation to recruit, hire, and
provide administrative management to scientists who are working on cutting-edge
research of benefit to society.</span> </p><p class=""></p>
<div><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="color:rgb(12,52,61)"><br></span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(12,52,61)">_______________________</span><br></div><div><br></div><div><em style="color:rgb(19,79,92)"><strong></strong></em></div>
<div><p><em><font color="#073763" face="georgia, serif"><b>Susanne Demaree</b></font></em></p><p><em><font color="#073763" face="georgia, serif">Webmaster | Marketing | Social Media</font></em></p><p><font face="times new roman, serif"><span style="color:rgb(19,79,92)">P.O. Box 3000, </span><span style="color:rgb(19,79,92)">Boulder, CO 80307 <br>
</span>Phone: 303-497-8627</font></p><p><a href="http://www.vsp.ucar.edu" target="_blank"><b style="color:rgb(19,79,92);font-family:'times new roman',serif"> </b><b style="color:rgb(19,79,92);font-family:'times new roman',serif"><img src="http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/images/email/VSP_color_1-inch.png"></b></a></p>
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