SYNOPTIC DATA FOR SOLAR-TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS - THE UK CONTRIBUTION TO LONG-TERM MONITORING

In 1989 the Council of the Royal society of London established a Study Group to investigate the current status and future requirements of so lar-terrestrial monitoring in the United Kingdom. This paper summarize s the conclusions and recommendations of the U.K. Study Group. The rat ionale for regular synoptic monitoring of the solar-terrestrial enviro nment is reviewed briefly. Instruments used for solar-terrestrial moni toring in U.K.-supported research programmes are listed, with special emphasis on research instruments that produce monitoring data. Some im portant applications of solar-terrestrial monitoring are outlined and criteria are presented for determining the priorities of various monit oring operations. High priority is attached to monitoring operations t hat are important for: (i) deriving geophysical models and reference s ystems; (ii) calculating the principal solar-geophysical indices; (iii ) producing long time series of good data, especially at sites of part icular geophysical interest; (iv) detecting global changes; (v) contri buting to real-time forecasts of solar-terrestrial conditions, or to l onger-term predictions and planning; and (vi) providing background dat a for other observations and experiments. The existing U.K. programmes of solar-terrestrial monitoring make a highly prestigious contributio n to national and international scientific activity. Synoptic measurem ents of the solar-terrestrial environment are crucial for underpinning present and future programmes of basic, strategic and applied researc h. Therefore, a core programme of synoptic monitoring must be maintain ed in the U.K. It is recommended that this core programme should be fi nanced centrally through the Research Councils and reviewed quinquenni ally.