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NERC takes responsibility for Earth-related solar terrestrial physics

26 November 2009

Funding responsibility for solar terrestrial physics research which relates to the Earth is being transferred to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) from the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

The move comes as a result of the recommendation made in the 2008 RCUK Review of UK Physics led by Professor Wakeham.

NERC and STFC have drawn up an agreement whereby NERC assumes responsibility for funding Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics research (the study of the Earth's upper atmosphere and its interaction with our sun), and ground-based instruments supported through the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) Scientific Association.

STFC retains responsibility for funding space-based facilities, missions and related exploitation, and all solar terrestrial physics research that is not related to the Earth.

Professor Alan Thorpe, NERC's Chief Executive, said, "I welcome the transfer of responsibility for Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics, which will strengthen the delivery of NERC's strategy. This area of physics includes, for example, studies of space weather impacts on technological systems, ionospheric effects on communications and global positioning, and solar influences on global climate change. We look forward to working with the new members of our community."

Funds of around £2·9m are transferring from STFC to NERC and this includes £2m in research grants in 2009-10. The balance includes support for EISCAT and the Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics component of the UK Solar System Data Centre (UKSSDC).

Professor Keith Mason, STFC's Chief Executive, said, "This reorganisation of the funding for solar terrestrial physics recognises the contribution this community can make to the work of the NERC. STFC will continue to work with the community to ensure a smooth transition period and to support space-based facilities and non-Earth orientated solar terrestrial physics, focused upon our understanding of the physics of the Sun as our nearest star and its central role in our Solar System."

All research grants and studentships that are currently being funded by STFC will continue until the grants finish or reach a review point. At this stage, researchers will need to apply for a new grant from NERC. Proposals dealing with Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics are already being received by NERC, and one grant of £949k has recently been awarded.

Future Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics proposals will compete within the NERC grant schemes and funding will be provided to those which are assessed as being of the highest quality. The grant schemes select and fund the highest quality research proposals from across the whole NERC remit - there is no ring-fencing of funds for particular areas - so there is scope for future growth in solar terrestrial physics areas.

NERC has recruited additional scientists with relevant expertise into its Peer Review College to assess the proposals.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Julia Maddock
STFC Press Office
Tel: 01793 442094

Notes

1. The Wakeham Review of UK Physics observed that "The influence of the sun on the Earth's climate system, and studies of the Earth's upper atmosphere are particularly relevant to NERC. It would seem advantageous that the activities of particular relevance to the NERC mission should become the responsibility of NERC."

The Wakeham review panel therefore recommended that "Responsibility be transferred to the Natural Environment Research Council for those parts of solar terrestrial physics research which are most relevant to the NERC mission. That transfer should be accompanied by sufficient funds to enable NERC to administer and support the current level of research."

2. NERC and STFC have agreed the following set of principles as guidance for the research community and research partners:

• STFC retains responsibility for funding space-based facilities (spacecraft, instruments and operations) for solar terrestrial physics and their associated primary exploitation. NERC becomes a stakeholder in the selection process for Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics missions;
• NERC assumes responsibility for funding ground-based instruments for Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics supported through EISCAT;
• NERC assumes responsibility for funding Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics research, except that primarily exploiting STFC-funded space-based facilities;
• STFC assumes responsibility for funding all non-Earth-oriented solar terrestrial physics research (eg fundamental space plasma physics and not related to the Earth).

3. NERC is the UK's main agency for funding and managing world-class research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. It co-ordinates some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on earth, and much more. NERC science is delivered under seven themes, namely climate system; biodiversity; sustainable use of natural resources; Earth system science; natural hazards; environment, pollution and human health; and technologies.

4. STFC ensures the UK retains its leading place on the world stage by delivering world-class science; accessing and hosting international facilities; developing innovative technologies; and increasing the socio-economic impact of its research through effective knowledge exchange.

The Council has a broad science portfolio including astronomy, particle physics, particle astrophysics, nuclear physics, space science, synchrotron radiation, neutron sources and high power lasers. In addition, the Council manages and operates three internationally renowned laboratories:

• The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire
• The Daresbury Laboratory, Cheshire
• The UK Astronomy Technology Centre, Edinburgh

The Council gives researchers access to world-class facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), the Institute Laue Langevin (ILL), European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), the European organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) and the European Space Agency (ESA). It also funds UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility, which includes the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

5. The European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association is an international research organisation operating three incoherent scatter radar systems, at 931MHz, 224MHz and 500MHz, in Northern Scandinavia. It is funded and operated by Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, China, the United Kingdom and Germany (collectively, the EISCAT Associates).

EISCAT studies the interaction between the sun and the Earth, as revealed by disturbances in the magnetosphere and the ionised parts of the atmosphere (these interactions also give rise to the spectacular aurora, or Northern Lights).

6. The UK Solar System Data Centre (UKSSDC), based at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, provides a central archive and data centre facility for solar system science in the UK. It supports archives for the whole UK solar system community encompassing solar, inter-planetary, magnetospheric, ionospheric and geomagnetic data.

Press release: 30/09

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