Integrating Data to Understand Critical Links

The individual imaging missions of Solar Connections provide multi-dimensional views of the links in the solar connections chain not yet addressed by previous observations. The challenge of Solar Connections will be to both examine the individual links in the chain and to understand how the links are coupled.

There are two key elements in the strategy to meet this challenge:

• An integrated sequence of focused missions directed at understanding the critical links in the solar connections chain

• Use of rapidly advancing information system technologies to ensure that data from the individual mission elements is rapidly accessed and integrated by a broad research community.

A new generation of information systems is in place to serve ongoing and new missions through the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) Program. These systems already provide data standards and portable software to capitalize on the continuing massive advances in information and communications technologies. The Solar Connections data strategy will build on these capabilities to enhance the ability of distributed systems to provide full public access to research data.

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Solar Connections: A Science Initiative for NASA Space Physics

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