Whole Heliosphere Interval

IAU General Assembly Joint Discussion JD16

August 12 - 14, 2009

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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JD16 Purpose

The Whole Heliosphere Interval is an international coordinated observing and modeling effort to characterize the 3-dimensional interconnected solar-heliospheric-planetary system, i.e., the "heliophysical" system. WHI is part of the International Heliophysical Year (IHY), on the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), and takes advantage of hundreds of observatories and instruments participating in IHY activities. The observing campaigns originated with study of the 3-D solar structure from solar Carrington Rotation 2068, which runs from March 20 - April 16, 2008. Observations and models of the outer heliosphere and planetary impacts extend beyond those dates as necessary; for example, the solar wind transit time to outer planets can take months (specific dates are determined according to each science topic).

IAU JD16 will cover both theoretical, modeling and observational aspects involving solar, heliospheric and planetary topics including, e.g., the Solar Cycle, Solar Activity, Solar Magnetic Fields, the Solar Wind, the Outer Heliosphere, Corotating Interacting Regions, Geomagnetic Storms, Ionospheric Disturbances, Magnetotail Dynamics and Space Weather Effects. The focus will be on analyses of observations obtained during WHI, and simulations and modeling involving those data and that period. Consideration of the WHI interval in the context of surrounding solar rotations and/or in comparison to last solar minimum are also encouraged. Our goal will be to identify connections and commonalities, i.e. universal physical processes, between the various regions of the heliosphere.



We encourage everyone with observations or model results associated with the WHI period to attend this IAU GA Joint Discussion.

Please see the WHI web page for up to date information on WHI science.

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