Heliophysics and space weather information architecture and innovative solutions: Current status and ways forward

Abstract

Over the past 10 years, a paradigm shift has happened in the world of science and information technology. Open science is becoming the de facto standard, as underlined by the recent recommendation on Open Science approved by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in November 2021. In parallel, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies are already part of our daily life, profoundly impacting our societies. This reality is far different from when the 2015–2025 COmmittee on SPAce Research (COSPAR)/International Living With a Star (ILWS) Space weather roadmap was laid down by Schrijver et al. (2015).Hence, when the COSPAR International Space Weather Action Teams (ISWAT) initiated community-wide efforts, back in 2018, to join forces in order to advance space weather predictive capabilities, four ISWAT overarching activities were eventually established: assessment, information architecture and data utilization, innovative solutions and education/outreach. These topics are indeed transversal activities across all subfields of space weather research, focusing on either the variability of heliospheric regions or physical phenomena and their specific space weather impacts.Here, we present the combined output of the information architecture and innovative solutions working groups. The first part is related to the heliophysics and space weather information architecture key building blocks (section 2). The second part is dedicated to open science tools and infrastructures, first detailing the tools to boost open science (section 3), then presenting actual and upcoming open science infrastructures (section 4). The third part is related to AI/ML solutions applied to the data available through this information architecture (section 5). The last part tries to encompass the breadth of activity presented and provides a number of recommendations, underlining some opportunities but also challenges ahead. Overall, this paper tries to highlight how powerful this open science ecosystem is, but also fragile, requiring sustained support from its various decision makers internationally.