After monitoring the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic closely, the organizing committee has decided to deliver the Heliophysics 2050 Workshop virtually on May 3-7, 2021.
The workshop will examine current scientific understanding and what near-term investigations can enable and inform future investigations. From this scientific progression, the workshop will explore fundamental connections (i.e., Science Web) that map current understanding to the next set of research investigations which will, in turn, enable next-generation studies. These investigations will cover the range of work from basic research to operational efforts and would be agnostic to their mode of execution (e.g., theory, observations, spaceflight missions). This approach will enable the next Decadal Survey to lay out a long-term science strategy: What does Heliophysics look like in 2050, and what do we do in the next decade to help us get there?
This workshop will focus on discussing a strategic, multi-decadal science framework for solar and space physics to enable community members to incorporate into framing their own white papers to the Decadal Survey process. The community will create a cohesive science strategy that will enable the ability to:
- Identify essential science investigations necessary for major advancements in solar and space physics.
- Use the desired investigations to identify the research and capability development needed to meet the requirements of these missions.
- Recognize research needed in the next decade to prepare for the long-term research goals.
- Recognize work needed to ensure a pipeline from basic research to pre-application research and then into operational needs, including the operations-to-research loop that strengthens forecasting and other predictive capabilities.