The proposed study is highly relevant to the goals of both the h-tides program and decadal survey. H-tides aims to support "studies that probe fundamental plasma physical processes," and PDI is a…

New Mexico Consortium (Nmc, Inc.), a Los Alamos-based nonprofit research organization, received a $586,686 grant award from the NASA Shared Services Center for research supporting the H-TIDES (Heliophysics Theory, Integrated Diagnostics, and Experiments Scoping) Program. The study focuses on parametric decay instability (PDI), a fundamental plasma physics process occurring within the heliosphere. By conducting reproducible measurements of PDI physics in a controlled laboratory environment, the research will establish benchmarks that integrate theoretical models with spacecraft observations from NASA missions including the Parker Solar Probe and WIND. The work directly supports both H-TIDES objectives and broader National Academies Decadal Survey goals related to fundamental heliospheric processes and solar-system interactions. The contract, awarded on March 1, 2023, is structured as a research grant with an ultimate completion date of February 28, 2027, and carries no set-aside designation.

The research addresses critical questions about how Alfvén waves from the Sun evolve and power the solar wind, with potential applications to future NASA mission data interpretation. New Mexico Consortium brings extensive federal research experience in heliophysics and space science, having previously conducted studies on solar wind turbulence, radiation belt enhancement events, and plasma wave generation through multiple NASA and National Science Foundation awards. The organization routinely collaborates with research universities across New Mexico and maintains strong relationships with federal agencies including NASA, the Department of Energy, and NOAA, positioning it well to execute this fundamental plasma physics research initiative.

The proposed study is highly relevant to the goals of both the h-tides program and decadal survey. H-tides aims to support "studies that probe fundamental plasma physical processes," and PDI is a prime example of such a process in our heliosphere. By performing reproducible measurements of PDI physics in a controlled environment, we will be able to provide a benchmark for integrating theory and modeling with spacecraft observations. These results contribute directly to the decadal survey objective discover and characterize fundamental processes that occur both within the heliosphere and throughout the universe. Furthermore, because PDI may play a key role in how alfven waves from the sun are evolve and power the solar wind, the insights gained from this proposal will also help address the decal survey objective determine the interaction of the sun with the solar system and the interstellar medium. Results from this work may therefore aid future studies to interpret data from NASA missions such as parker solar probe and wind.