Plasma physics and space weather

The FSSW research line at INAF-IAPS in Rome has a long history of space physics and Space Weather (SW) study. The primary goal of the research is to understand the dynamics of space plasmas that occur in the solar photosphere, solar wind, heliosphere, as well as in the magnetosphere and ionosphere of the Earth and other planets in the solar system. The modelling of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, which is essential for making predictions about the effects of solar and heliospheric activity on the circumterrestrial environment, the anthropogenic environment, and technological systems, is made possible by these studies, which are of fundamental importance to the field of space weather.

Main Topics

• Solar photospheric convection and solar activity variability.

• Solar wind properties and dynamics.

• Complexity, turbulence and heating processes in space plasmas.

• Particle acceleration processes: magnetic reconnection and shocks.

• Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) modulation.

• Interaction between the solar wind, solar energetic particles (SEPs) and GCRs and the terrestrial or other planetary environments.

• Physics of the terrestrial and planetary magnetospheres, ionosphere, radiation belts.

• Space Weather

• Variability of environments (magnetospheres, exospheres, atmospheres) of the Solar System bodies (e.g. planets, moons, asteroids, etc…) due to their interaction with the local interplanetary space (the so-called Planetary Space Weather). 

• Plasma-surface interactions, space weathering at airless bodies (e.g. asteroids, the Moon, Mercury).

Methodology

These studies are carried out through the analysis of observational data, models development and numeric simulations, ground-based observations, in-situ measurements, laboratory tests, new instrument concept development and testing. Scientific flight operations managements and data handling and quick-look tool developments are also carried in support of the data analysis.