Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Understanding and Modeling the Mysterious Dropout of Radiation Belt Electrons
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Abstract: The discovery of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts in 1958 revealed the hazardous radiative environment for spacecraft operating within. Understanding, modeling, and eventually predicting the dynamics of energetic electrons in the radiation belts have long been targets that space physicists have pursued. Since the launch of NASA Van Allen Probes in 2012, significant progress has been achieved in understanding the strong enhancement of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt.
Seminar CANCELLED
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This week's LASP Seminar, "Brines and Habitability on Mars," with Alejandro Soto has been cancelled.
Measuring the stratosphere: what balloons are really doing
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Absract: The Earth’s stratosphere, which sits above the troposphere, is a difficult place to make measurements. The highest-flying aircraft can only reach the lowermost portion of the stratosphere, while space-based sensors orbiting well above are limited by technique. Balloons can profile in situ from the surface up to approximately 35 km. Thus, they are a critical measurement platform for investigating the stratospheric constituents and processes that play important roles in regulating Earth’s climate.
Ultraviolet Mars: The Search for More Science
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Abstract: Tremendous new insights into the Martian atmosphere have been achieved in recent years by two ultraviolet spectrographs built at LASP: the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph (IUVS) aboard the Mars Atmospheric and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission, and the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EMUS) aboard the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM). Both instruments have far exceeded their design goals in science return.
Earth Science Applications: Lessons Learned
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Abstract: NASA Earth Science has put significant attention towards enabling uses of Earth science information to support decision making activities by public and private sector organizations. In addition to supporting technical innovations, NASA also pursued several programmatic innovations to help the Earth science community develop capacity in engaging with users, designing projects, and enabling results.
Climate Responses Under and Extreme Quiet Sun Scenario
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Abstract: Fundamental understanding of the climate responses to solar variability is obscured by the large and complex climate variability. This long-standing issue is addressed here by examining climate responses under an extreme quiet sun (EQS) scenario, obtained by making the sun void of all magnetic fields. It is used to drive a coupled climate model with whole atmosphere and ocean components.
Dynamical Surprises in Saturn’s Rings
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Abstract: Our current understanding of planet formation is informed by ongoing observations of circumstellar disks around young stars. The improving spatial resolution of these observations has revealed a variety of structures in these dusty gas disks, including gaps, spiral waves, warps, and lopsided distributions of dust particles. These observations are restricted to a single viewing geometry from Earth and by limited spatial resolution. Analogous structures are observed in Saturn’s rings with a mul
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public.