Big Questions for AIM
Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) is a mission to determine the causes of the highest altitude clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. The number of clouds in the middle atmosphere (mesosphere) over the Earth's poles has been increasing over the past couple of decades, and it is hypothesized that this results from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases at high altitudes. AIM will determine the connection between the clouds and their environment and lead to the study of long-term changes in the upper atmosphere and global climate change. This mission is part of the Heliophysics Explorers Program. This mission is part of the Explorers Program.
- How does solar variability affect human society, technological systems and the habitability of planets?
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Geomagnetic storms (magnetic storms on Earth due to solar activity) produce the awe-inspiring Aurora borealis and Aurora australis -- the Northern and Southern lights. However, they can also cause a variety of highly undesirable consequences. Electrical current surges in power lines, interference in the broadcast of radio, television, and telephone signals, and problems with defense communications are all associated with magnetic storms.
- What are the fundamental physical processes of the space environment?
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The sun, interplanetary space, planetary magnetospheres, and most of the rest of the universe are made up of plasma, which is an electrically-charged gas. Because they are plasma, electro-magnetic forces are extremely important. There is a tight coupling between the matter (in the form of sub-atomic particles) and the electric and magnetic fields. Motion of plasma in the sun generates the solar magnetic field, and the magnetic stresses built up are what cause the sun to vary. Magnetic reconnection, a rapid reconfiguration of the magnetic field, can accelerate matter up to very high energies and make hazardous radiation. Other more gradual processes can also accelerate particles up to hazardous energies. Understand the intricate interplay between matter and electro-magnetism in the space environment is what requires a system-level study that we call Heliophysics.