The CISM Knowledge Transfer Short Course

Background and Introduction

This 2-day course is a new part of the CISM knowledge transfer effort. This is our first full course and we are eager to learn more about how we can improve the content. Please see the feedback form and keep notes throughout the day.

CISM, the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling, is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Center (STC) based at Boston University. CISM formally began operations in August 2002. The goal of CISM is to understand our dynamic Sun-Earth system and how it affects life and society and to create a physics-based numerical simulation model that describes the space environment from the Sun to the Earth. [http://www.bu.edu/cism]

The Knowledge Transfer (KT) group of CISM is based at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado; it has several roles as part of the CISM program. The CISM knowledge transfer plan is to promote the exchange of information, tools, and techniques between CISM and other communities, particularly the broader space science research community, the space weather specification and forecasting operational community, and the aerospace engineering and other user communities. The plan has three distinct components: transition of forecasting tools to NOAA/SEC; dissemination of community models to the scientific community; and training and interaction with industrial partners and government labs and agencies. [http://lasp.colorado.edu/cism]

Course Objectives

• To provide information about the CISM program and the latest CISM models and tools
• To provide presentation resources for space weather
• To broaden and deepen understanding of the space environment
• For CISM to gain a better understanding of forecasters needs

Equipment

• Standard room for presentations with LCD (at least 1024x768) projector (09:00-16:00).
• Computer lab room with 1 PC for every 2 Lab participants (09:00-16:00)
• PCs do not need to be on a network.
• PCs (or laptops) must have at least 512 MB of RAM.
• PCs must be able to boot from the Knoppix Live CD at http://cism.fit.edu/kcdx/ and video card must work at optimal resolution (for LCD monitors).
• We can provide 2 Lab PCs (Laptops)

Agenda

Education Center, UNO Computer Classroom 19

10:00-11:00: R.S. Weigel: Introduction to Space Weather and CISM

Annotated PowerPoints will be provided in print and electronic form. At least 15 minutes for general discussion and questions.

11:00-12:00: R.S. Weigel: The CISM Code Infrastructure

• How CISM builds numerical models
• How CISM visualizes results with CISM_DX
• The CISM_DX visualization framework

12:00-13:00: Lunch

13:00-13:30: R.S. Weigel: Introduction to CISM_DX and Overview of OpenDX

• Installing and Running CISM_DX
• Overview of OpenDX

13:30-14:00: R. Bruntz: Introduction Lab to OpenDX

14:00-14:15: Break

14:15-16:00: R. Bruntz: First CISM Lab

Thursday, 3 November 2005

9:00-10:00: R.S. Weigel: General Discussion

• Space weather policies: The participants and presenters discuss their perception or knowledge of the relationship between agencies and share strategy and collaboration ideas.
• Space weather codes: the participants and presenters discuss their notions of choosing and adapting space science models for space weather purposes and of transferring them into operations.
• Space weather forecasting: the participants and presenters discuss current forecasting tools and performance metrics, their shortcomings and ideas of improvements.

12:00-13:00: Lunch

13:00-14:30: R. Bruntz: Third CISM Lab

14:30-14:45: Conclusion and course evaluation.

14:45-15:00: Break

15:00-16:00: Focused Discussion session with DNX/DNXS

• Plans for future activity, presentations, and interaction
• Discussion of your needs

Biographical Sketches

Robert S. Weigel
Research Scientist
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
University of Colorado
1234 Innovation Drive
Boulder, CO 80303
ph: 303-492-1259
http://lasp.colorado.edu/~weigel
Robert.Weigel@lasp.colorado.edu

Robert S. Weigel graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Platteville in 1995 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. In 1997, he completed a M.S. in Physics under the supervision of E. Atlee Jackson from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed a Ph.D. in Physics under the supervision of Wendell Horton at the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests are centered on the dynamics of complex systems with emphasis on the solar wind-driven magnetosphere and space weather modeling and prediction. Dr. Weigel currently works as Knowledge Transfer Liaison for the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling (CISM) and is active in the development of code base and framework for contributions to a community-developed suite of integrated data, models, and data and model explorers for research and education (http://lasp.colorado.edu/cism/CISM_DX).


Robert J. Bruntz
Research Scientist
Department of Physics and Space Sciences
Florida Institute of Technology
150 West University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL 32901
ph: 321-674-7501
http://my.fit.edu/~rbruntz/
rbruntz [at] fit.edu

Robert Bruntz was born in New Jersey, but raised in El Paso, Texas. He completed his B.A. in Linguistics and his M.S. in Physics (Space Physics) at the University of Texas at El Paso. He currently works as a full-time research scientist for Dr. Ramon Lopez at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. His main tasks at Florida Tech involve space weather simulations, visualization systems, computer administration, and dodging hurricanes.