Quantifying the global solar wind-magnetosphere interaction with the Solar Terrestrial Observer for the Response of the Magnetosphere (STORM) mission concept

The Solar Terrestrial Observer for the Response of the Magnetosphere (STORM) is one of five NASA MIDEX mission concept studies. STORMs overarching science goal is to quantify the global circulation of energy that powers space weather in the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere system. STORM tracks and quantifies the energy input into and through the magnetosphere using a comprehensive suite of in situ and imaging instruments coupled with high-fidelity ground-based observations to globally image the critical plasma regimes in the solar wind-magnetosphere interaction. In this paper we demonstrate how STORM uses observations of the near-Earth solar wind and images of Earths magnetopause, auroral oval (and its microscale dynamics), and the inner magnetosphere to quantify: energy transfer at the dayside magnetopause; energy circulation and transfer through the magnetotail; energy sources and sinks for the ring current; and energy feedback from the inner magnetosphere. STORMs novel mission design and comprehensive instrument suite fill a critical gap in Heliophysics as the first system science observatory providing an end-to-end view of the transfer and circulation of energy in the coupled solar wind-magnetosphere system.