Advances in space weather science and small satellite (SmallSat) technology have proceeded in parallel over the past two decades, but better communication and coordination is needed among the respective worldwide communities contributing to this rapid progress. We identify six areas where improved international coordination is especially desirable, including: (1) orbital debris miti-gation; (2) spectrum management; (3) export control regulations; (4) access to timely and low-cost launch opportunities; (5) inclusive data policies; and (6) education. We argue the need for interna-tionally coordinated policies and programs to promote the use of SmallSats for space weather re-search and forecasting while realizing maximum scientific and technical advances through the inte-gration of these two increasingly important endeavors.

One of the primary mechanisms of loss of Earth’s atmosphere is the persistent “cold” (T ≲ 20 eV) ion outflow that has been observed in the magnetospheric lobes over large volumes with dimensions of order several Earth radii. As the main source of this cold ion outflow, the polar cap F-region ionosphere and conditions within it have a disproportionate influence on these magnetospheric regions. Using 15 years of measurements of plasma density Ne made by the Swarm spacecraft constellation and the CHAMP spacecraft within the F region of the polar cap above 80° Apex magnetic latitude, we report evidence of several types of seasonal asymmetries in polar cap Ne. Among these, the transition between “winter-like” and “summer-like” median polar cap Ne occurs one week prior to local spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere (NH), and one week after local spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere (SH). Thus the median SH polar cap Ne lags the median NH polar cap Ne by approximately two weeks with respect to hemispherically local spring and fall equinox. From interhemispheric comparison of statistical distributions of polar cap plasma density around each equinox and solstice, we find that distributions in the SH are often flatter (i.e., less skewed and kurtotic) than in the NH. Perhaps of most significance to cold ion outflow, we find no evidence of an F-region plasma density counterpart to a previously reported hemispheric asymmetry whereby cold plasma density is higher in the NH magnetospheric lobe than in the SH lobe.

A number of interdependent conditions and processes contribute to ionospheric-origin energetic ion outflows. Due to these interdependences and the associated observational challenges, energetic ion outflows remain a poorly understood facet of atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling. Here we demonstrate the relationship between east-west magnetic field fluctuations ($\Delta B_{\textrm{EW}}$) and energetic outflows in the magnetosphere-ionosphere transition region. We use dayside cusp-region FAST satellite observations made at apogee ($\sim$4200-km altitude) near fall equinox and solstices in both hemispheres to derive statistical relationships between ion upflow and ($\Delta B_{\textrm{EW}}$) spectral power as a function of spacecraft-frame frequency bands between 0 and 4 Hz. Identification of ionospheric-origin energetic ion upflows is automated, and the spectral power $P_{EW}$ in each frequency band is obtained via integration of $\Delta B_{\textrm{EW}}$ power spectral density. Derived relationships are of the form $J_{\parallel,i} = J_{0,i} P_{EW}^\gamma$ for upward ion flux $J_{\parallel,i}$ at 130-km altitude. The highest correlation coefficients are obtained for spacecraft-frame frequencies $\sim$0.1–0.5 Hz. Summer solstice and fall equinox observations yield power law indices $\gamma \simeq$ 0.9–1.3 and correlation coefficients $r \geq 0.92$, while winter solstice observations yield $\gamma \simeq$ 0.4–0.8 with $r \gtrsim 0.8$. Mass spectrometer observations reveal that the oxygen/hydrogen ion composition ratio near summer solstice is much greater than the corresponding ratio near winter. These results thus reinforce the importance of ion composition in any outflow model. If observed $\Delta B_{\textrm{EW}}$ variations are purely spatial and not temporal, we show that spacecraft-frame frequencies $\sim$0.1–0.5 Hz correspond to perpendicular spatial scales of several to tens of kilometers.