Programme

The solar wind is an uninterrupted flow of highly ionised plasma that fills interplanetary space and is crossed by strong transient perturbations such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These phenomena, in addition to corotating density structures and solar energetic particles (SEPs), drive a large range of disturbances to planetary atmospheres. Their properties and arrival times are, however, difficult to predict with reasonable accuracy. Observations from multiple vantage points, in-situ measurements from multiple positions and modelling efforts have been employed systematically to study the properties of the solar wind plasma and of CMEs, from their formation to their arrival at Earth and at planets throughout the inner heliosphere.

The recently launched Parker Solar Probe, the imminent launch of Solar Orbiter, as well as potential future missions at L1 and L5, and planetary missions that will measure the solar wind during their cruise phase (e.g. BepiColombo), will provide us with the perfect opportunity to test, validate, and refine the current knowledge of these physical phenomena and their interactions. Accordingly, the aim of this session is to showcase the latest observational and modelling efforts regarding the evolution of the solar wind and CMEs during their propagation throughout the heliosphere as seen from multiple vantage points, and to foresee future developments. Potential improvements to our current space weather forecasting capabilities will be highlighted.