The 15th Conference on Space Weather, sponsored by the American Meteorological Society (AMS), will be held as part of the 98th AMS Annual Meeting in Austin, Teas.
The theme for the 2018 annual meeting is "Transforming Communication in the Weather, Water, and Climate Enterprise." Communication is a dynamic, powerful, and essential part of the weather, climate, and water enterprise. Successful communication requires active engagement – not only thinking about what, when, where, how, why, and to whom we speak, but also carefully listening to better understand and respond appropriately. Following this theme, the Conference on Space Weather solicited papers on the following topics:
• Next steps in Space Weather Research and Forecasting This session is focused on progress being made by the federal agencies as well as the commercial and academic sector in moving forward with research that enables better space weather forecasts and improves communication of these results.
• Shifting Paradigms: Communicating Space Weather through Social & Broadcast Media
New modes of communicating space weather to a very eager public are becoming available. Some of these critical paths may be through broadcast and social media, and having actionable forecasts immediately accessible to the public could make all the difference. This is the paradigm shift that we must strive for — that space weather is real, relevant, and knowable. The proposed session will combine the expertise of space scientists, meteorologists, and broadcasters to stimulate an interdisciplinary discussion during this pivotal time in both the history of the AMS and in the communication of Space Weather.
• Results from the Great American Solar Eclipse
The total solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017 had its path of totality over the continental United States. Talks from this session will highlight early results from observations of the eclipse with an emphasis on space weather impacts. Presentations from citizen science activities related to the solar eclipse are also welcome.
• Impact of Space Weather on Communication
This session focuses on the many ways that space weather can impact communication.
Major Scientific Challenges in Space Weather
Key science challenges, including prediction of solar flares, determining the geoeffectiveness of space weather storms, and understanding and predicting ionospheric variability.
• Observational Platforms for Space Weather
This session will look at some of the many new facilities that are coming into existence as well as being proposed. Existing facilities are being upgraded or developing new techniques. The focus of these two sessions will be on the way these new observational capabilities support the space weather enterprise.
Additionally, teachers, students, families, weather enthusiasts of all ages can join in on the AMS’s 17th Annual WeatherFest, a cool, fun, and fascinating look at all things weather, water, and climate. It will be taking place at the Austin Convention Center in Exhibit Hall 1 from 12 noon–4:00 p.m., Sunday, January 7.
For additional information please contact the program chairperson(s), Richard Behnke (email: richard.behnke@yahoo.com) and Michael Wiltberger (email: wiltbemj@ucar.edu).
