The International Heliophysical Year (IHY)

Peter Fox, HAO/ESSL/NCAR, US

The objectives of the IHY are to

1. Provide benchmark measurements of the response of the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, the lower atmosphere and Earth surface to identify global processes and drivers which affect the terrestrial environment and climate

2. Global study of the Sun-heliosphere system outward to the heliopause to understand the external, and historic drivers of geophysical change

3. Foster international scientific cooperation in the study of Heliophysical phenomena now and in the future

4. Communicate the unique scientific results of the IHY to the interested scientific community and to the general public

The IHY will help us develop a deeper understanding of physical processes in the solar system through a program of comparative study of universal processes that affect the interplanetary and terrestrial environment.  The study of energetic events in the solar system will pave the way for safe human space travel to the Moon and planets in the future, and it will serve to inspire the next generation of space physicists.

This presentation will review the IHY, its working groups, its coordinated instrument programs (CIP) and the resulting data environment needs and how IHY will rely upon several virtual observatory efforts underway.

Keywords: education, outreach, data access, virtual observatory, heliophysics