A new report based on input from the science community outlines the most pressing objectives over the next decade for studying the sun and the far-reaching effects of solar activity. The report, released by the National Research Council, identifies specific science goals and provides recommendations for how to maintain robust and effective programs despite budgetary constraints.

The study is the council’s second decadal survey for solar and space physics. The committee that wrote the 454-page report, led by Daniel Baker of the University of Colorado in Boulder, pinpointed the top research priorities in heliophysics for the decade spanning 2013 to 2022. More than 85 scientists and space system engineers contributed to the study, which aims to guide the ongoing and future initiatives of government agencies, including NASA, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.