Abstract
This paper discusses the strategic importance of contemporary ionospheric science. It outlines some key features of the evolution of the science from the first practical experiments in the 1920s through to the diverse inter-disciplinary science of today. This science includes fundamental studies of partially ionised plasmas and of the complex systems that arise when those plasmas are coupled to neutral atmospheres and magnetospheres. However, the science also has great potential to deliver societal benefits if the science can be refined to obtain a deep physical understanding of ionospheric phenomena and that understanding is then transitioned into use by operational services such as forecasts of ionospheric conditions. Thus, ionospheric science is now very similar in form to other environment sciences and, the same as them, needs to be positioned in a diverse scientific culture that supports the full range of science research, including not only curiosity-driven studies, but also targeted research to deepen our physical understanding to a level that is sufficient to enable a transition to operational services. That diversity also includes support for that transition and also facilitates feedback from operations teams to researchers. Such feedback can be a powerful stimulus for future research.
Highlights
Ionospheric science has a long history of achievement going back almost a century
The polar ionosphere became a major focus from the 1970s onwards, reflecting both (a) the growing scientific interest in the coupling between the ionosphere and the magnetosphere and (b) the improvements in Arctic and Antarctic transport, communications, and energy infrastructures that facilitated the deployment of advanced instruments in those regions, e.g., the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radars first deployed in Northern Scandinavia [2]
Contemporary ionospheric research spans a spectrum of scientific activities starting with curiosity-driven research and ending with the application of research outcomes to practical problems
Summary
Ionospheric science has a long history of achievement going back almost a century. It has its practical roots in the 1920s when the first wave of great developments in electronics, in particular the triode valve, enabled radio measurements of conditions in Earth’s upper atmosphere. These three sections are followed by a summary that highlights the key conclusions of the paper
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