| COURSE Program Co-Chairs | |
|---|---|
 Nick Pedatella | |
COURSE (Cross-scale cOUpling pRocesses in the Solar-tErrestrial system) is a science program that aims to facilitate comprehensive and interdisciplinary research through internationally coordinated efforts. COURSE is focused on cross-scale coupling processes in the Sun-Earth system. COURSE is sponsored by SCOSTEP, the Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics.
The Sun drives Space Weather and Space Climate, with variability occurring on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Solar variability ultimately impacts the whole of the heliosphere, including the near-Earth space environment where it can adversely impact technological systems, such as satellite communication and navigation systems. The Earth environment can also be impacted by atmospheric waves propagating upwards from Earth’s lower atmosphere. Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are another important source of Space Weather and Space Climate and a proxy of interplanetary perturbations as well.
Many processes throughout the solar-terrestrial system are coupled across different spatial, temporal, and energy scales. Understanding the cross-scale coupling processes from the Sun to the Earth is critical for making significant advances in understanding solar-terrestrial physics, advancing Space Weather predictive capabilities, addressing effects of Space Climate, mitigating adverse effects of Space Weather and Climate, and preparing for human exploration of space.
The COURSE program is organized in three focus areas:
- Focus Area 1: Sources of space weather and space climate
- Focus Area 2: Solar wind, magnetosphere, and ionosphere coupling
- Focus Area 3: External impacts and internal dynamics of the Earth’s atmosphere
Progress made during the COURSE program will advance scientific understanding of cross-scale processes in the solar-terrestrial system, providing the foundation for improved Space Weather and Space Climate predictions.
The COURSE Science Program is featured in:
Laurenza et al. 2025, Earth, Planets and Space, 77, 180
and the SCOSTEP/PRESTO Newsletter Volume 42
COURSE-supported Meetings, Campaigns, and Databases