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Category: Space physics – Fall 2026

Space Physics (293): Dr. Gina A. DiBraccio – Supporting Human Exploration and Preparing for Earth-Independent Operations Through Integrated Space Weather Capabilities at NASA GSFC

Speaker: Dr. Gina A. DiBraccio

Affiliation: NASA GSFC

Date: Friday, September 25, 2026

Time: 3:30 PM

Zoom/Meeting Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97178405473?pwd=WMx7ClxaSw38JatXhzPshjC5G0O1Um.1

Abstract

As NASA increases its cadence of crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit, robust space weather capabilities are critical for protecting astronauts, spacecraft, and mission operations. The Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's GSFC (Goddard Space Flight Center) supports these efforts through an integrated set of space weather research, capabilities, and services that provide situational awareness, data and modeling analysis tools, and decision support for human and robotic exploration: The Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office (M2M SWAO) provides human-in-the-loop, real-time space weather analysis; the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) hosts and evaluates models and develops tools for space weather analysis and forecasting; and the Space Weather Science Operations Center, along with the Heliophysics Data and Resource Library (HDRL) provide interoperable access to NASA heliophysics data. Extending these capabilities to the Moon and Mars present new challenges in monitoring and forecasting space weather in an environment with limited observations and distinct radiation hazards. One example of innovative development is the Mars Space Weather Dashboard, which provides near real-time observations and products for space weather activity at Mars. This dashboard presents a prototype of space weather assessment tools to support Earth-independent operations. Integrated together, scientists and space weather capabilities at NASA GSFC enable access to observations, modeling capabilities, forecasting tools, and analysis systems needed to assess and mitigate space weather threats in support of human exploration.

Space Physics (293): Lucas Liuzzo – Energetic particle access to the Moon: Context for the solar radiation environment relevant for crewed missions

Speaker: Dr. Lucas Liuzzo

Affiliation: Space Sciences Laboratory, UC Berkeley

Date: Friday, October 2, 2026

Time: 3:30 PM

Zoom/Meeting Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97178405473?pwd=WMx7ClxaSw38JatXhzPshjC5G0O1Um.1

Abstract

Solar energetic particles pose significant hazards to space exploration and habitation. In the context of the Moon, understanding the access of these high-energy particles to the lunar environment is critical when studying the composition and charging of the surface, quantifying energy deposition at depth, and when considering the planned exploration during crewed and robotic missions.

During its orbit around Earth, the Moon is exposed to the solar wind during approximately two-thirds of the time. Solar energetic particles—typically generated by solar flares or at the shock front of an expanding interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME)—stream outward throughout the solar system and precipitate directly onto the lunar dayside surface. However, we have identified a scenario in which flare-accelerated energetic particles first pass the lunar dayside, encounter a distant ICME located beyond Earth, reflect and travel sunward toward the lunar nightside. This mechanism represents an additional, underappreciated hazard for assets located on the lunar nightside and highlights the importance of accurately characterizing past space weather activity when predicting the impact of ongoing (or future) events.

For the remaining one-third of its orbit, the Moon is embedded deep within the tail of Earth’s magnetosphere. Although the strong terrestrial magnetic field prevents high-energy particles from reaching Earth’s surface, the Moon does not receive the same protection while located within the terrestrial magnetotail. Instead, we show that the high-energy ions and electrons readily penetrate the tail along field lines that are open to the solar wind far downstream of the Moon and we highlight the overall lack of shielding from these particles at any phase of the lunar orbit during extreme solar energetic particle events. Our findings provide context for understanding access of these high-energy solar particles to the lunar surface and are relevant for the safety of astronauts during the upcoming missions to explore the lunar environment.

Space Physics (293): Yaxue Dong – Solar Cycle Variability of Ion Escape from Mars based on MAVEN observations: Quantifying the Effects of External and Internal Drivers

Speaker: Yaxue Dong

Affiliation: LASP, University of Colorado Boulder

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026

Time: 3:30 PM

Zoom/Meeting Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97178405473?pwd=WMx7ClxaSw38JatXhzPshjC5G0O1Um.1

Abstract

The NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission orbited Mars from 2014-2026 and has made extensive observations of the upper atmosphere and induced magnetosphere, providing more than a decade of invaluable data for investigating the Martian atmospheric loss. Using these observations, different ion escape channels have been identified, and the average global ion escape rate from present-day Mars, as well as its variability over a solar cycle, have been estimated. In addition, we have conducted quantitative analyses of the dependencies of ion escape rates on upstream solar radiation, solar wind, and IMF parameters, as well as Mars crustal magnetic field locations, to quantify the sensitivities and effects of these upstream and planetary drivers. The variations in different escaping ion populations are also examined to understand the physical mechanisms through which these drivers regulate ion escape from Mars. Together, these results identify the dominant drivers of the solar cycle variability of ion escape, provide constraints on the long-term atmospheric evolution of Mars, and offer broader insights into the processes governing atmospheric loss at unmagnetized and weakly magnetized planets.

Space Physics (293): Dr. Qianli Ma – Comparative Outer Electron Radiation Belt Dynamics at Earth and Jupiter

Speaker: Dr. Qianli Ma

Affiliation: Boston University / UCLA

Date: Friday, October 16, 2026

Time: 3:30 PM

Zoom/Meeting Link: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/97178405473?pwd=WMx7ClxaSw38JatXhzPshjC5G0O1Um.1

Abstract

Planetary radiation belts contain high fluxes of relativistic electrons trapped by the closed magnetic field lines. Radial diffusion and wave-particle interactions are the key processes governing electron acceleration and transport. At Earth, the energetic electron fluxes can increase by several orders of magnitude following geomagnetic storms driven by solar wind structures. In contrast, Jupiter’s inner magnetosphere is predominantly driven by internal sources owing to its strong magnetic field and rapid rotation. Despite these differences, recent Juno measurements in the region from Io to Ganymede’s orbit suggest a similar plasma environment conducive to wave-particle interactions to that in Earth’s outer radiation belt. Energetic electron injections and whistler-mode chorus and hiss waves, which are critical for the radiation belt electron variability at Earth, are also prevalent at Jupiter at 6 < M < 15. The modeling of electron scattering by the waves suggest efficient electron precipitation from Jupiter’s radiation belt to the upper atmosphere. The diffuse electron precipitation has been validated by both direct precipitation measurements at high latitudes and patchy auroras observed by Juno’s Ultraviolet Spectrograph. The radiation belt simulation also suggests chorus waves may accelerate electrons at multi-MeV energies in Jupiter’s radiation belts. In addition, the Galilean moons Io, Europa and Ganymede reside within the region of active wave-particle interactions. These moons absorb relativistic electrons, producing localized flux dropouts, and amplify plasma waves, enhancing electron scattering. Thus, moon–plasma interactions can substantially modify relativistic electron distributions in Jupiter’s radiation belt.