Solar-Terrestrial Sciences

Probing the Solar Wind with Spacecraft Radio Occultation Signals: Chasing a Unified Method to Probe the Sun

Keshav Aggarwal & Raj Kumar Choudhary., Edited by Shreedevi P. R. February 1, 2026

Figure: Radio occultation (RO) uses spacecraft signals passing behind the Sun or a planet to probe the intervening plasma or atmosphere. Refraction, scattering, and delays in the signal reveal properties such as electron density and solar wind velocity.

Introduction The solar wind, a continuous outflow of charged particles from the solar corona, plays a fundamental role in shaping the heliosphere and driving space weather. Its interaction with planetary magnetospheres and atmospheres regulates magnetospheric dynamics, influences atmospheric escape, and governs space weather hazards that can affect both space- and ground-based technologies. Despit ...[Read More]

Behind the Poster: Extending the Wave Telescope – An Interview with EGU 2024 Outstanding Student Paper Presentation (OSPP) Award Winner Leonard Schulz

Shreedevi P R January 29, 2026

Leonard Schulz receiving the Outstanding Student Paper Presentation (OSPP) Award certificate from ST Division President Dr. Alexis P. Rouillard during the EGU General Assembly, Vienna, April 2025.

1. Congratulations on your OSPP Award 2024! What was your initial reaction to winning, and how has it helped your career as an early-career scientist? I was very delighted and also proud that my work is recognized in this way. I also understood in hindsight why I had little time to breathe during my poster presentation slot; some of the people asking a lot of the questions will have been the judge ...[Read More]

A talk with scientists across Europe: building the future of European heliophysics together

Guram November 23, 2025

“Heliophysics studies the Sun, its sphere of influence, and how it affects the bodies in the solar system.” – this holistic approach to understanding our space environment is at the heart of the European Heliophysics Community (EHC), an open and inclusive network of researchers across Europe (https://www.heliophysics.eu/). The EHC promotes collaborative, curiosity-driven science that explore ...[Read More]

ST-ECS Networking Campfire: “How to Navigate Between Academia and Industry”

Shreedevi P. R. September 30, 2025

For many early-career scientists, one of the big questions is whether to pursue a career in academia, move into industry, or find a path that bridges both worlds. Each sector offers unique opportunities and challenges, and learning how to navigate between them can help you make confident, informed career decisions. To shed light on this topic, the Early Career Scientists (ECS) team of the Solar-Te ...[Read More]

Meet Richard Horne, 2025 Julius Bartels medalist, honoured for his fundamental contributions to understanding the formation of the radiation belts and their effects on space weather

Guram August 14, 2025

Richard Horne enjoys writing as it helps to clarify ideas — research is a creative activity. (Credit: Natural Environment Research Council / British Antarctic Survey)

Congratulations on receiving the 2025 Julius Bartels Medal for your groundbreaking contributions to wave-particle interactions, their role in accelerating charged particles, and advancing the understanding of the formation of the radiation belts and their space weather effects. What does this recognition mean to you personally, and how does it impact your work in this fascinating field? I am truly ...[Read More]

Chasing Auroras 41 Millennia Ago with Agnit Mukhopadhyay and Sanja Panovska

Guram July 18, 2025

Auroras occur when energetic particles from the Sun are transported along the Earth's magnetic field and collide with atmospheric gases, producing characteristic green and red light. Typically restricted to high latitudes, auroras extended toward the equator during the Laschamp event (~41,000 years ago) when Earth's magnetic field was unusually weak and multipolar. This image presents an artistic rendering of those ancient auroras based on a recently developed global magnetic field model. (Credit: GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Maximilian Schanner).

Approximately 41,000 years ago, during the Laschamps geomagnetic excursion, Earth’s magnetic field experienced a significant disturbance. The strength of the magnetic field decreased to only 10% of what it is today, the magnetic poles shifted considerably from the geographic poles, and the magnetosphere—the protective layer surrounding our planet—became smaller and distorted in previously unvisual ...[Read More]

A Week to Remember: My EGU 2025 Experience

Authored by Mrittika Ghosh., and Edited by Shreedevi P. R. June 6, 2025

A lunch/picnic on Monday, April 28, was one of the activities organized by the ST ECS Team. Photo: ST ECS Team

Vienna transformed into a buzzing hub of scientific exchange as the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly (GA) 2025 took place from 27 April to 2 May. Over 20,000 scientists from 120 countries gathered to share groundbreaking research across the Earth, planetary, and space sciences. Attending the GA for the first time as part of the Early Career Scientists (ECS) Team of the Solar-Terre ...[Read More]

Meet Sandra Catherine Chapman, 2024 Hannes Alfvén Medalist, honoured for her groundbreaking contributions and vision in space plasma physics

Guram May 12, 2025

Sandra Catherine Chapman

Congratulations on receiving the 2024 Hannes Alfvén Medal for your pioneering work and outstanding leadership in advancing our understanding of space plasma physics, including its fundamental processes and impacts throughout the solar system and beyond. What does this recognition mean to you personally, and how does it impact your work in this fascinating field? I am deeply honoured to be awarded ...[Read More]

Meet the InterALAGE Board Members

Liliana Macotela May 7, 2025

We are excited to introduce the InterALAGE Team! and share their vision for the future of the organization! To get to know them better, our Media and Communications Officer conducted an in-depth interview with the new board members. In this engaging conversation, the board members share their personal backgrounds, journeys within InterALAGE, and goals during their term. 1. To start off, could you ...[Read More]

Get Connected at EGU25: Solar Terrestrial (ST)-Early Career Scientist (ECS) Events You Don’t Want to Miss!

Authored by Geetashree Kakoti, Edited by Shreedevi P. R. April 16, 2025

Building connections beyond the conference halls – ST-ECS picnic at EGU 2024

The EGU General Assembly 2025 is just around the corner, and the Solar-Terrestrial (ST) Early-Career Scientist (ECS) Team has been working hard to create opportunities for networking, connection, and community building throughout the week. We’ve lined up a series of informal, fun, and welcoming events designed to help ECSs meet peers, share experiences, and make the most out of EGU25. Mark your ca ...[Read More]