EUV Irradiance Inputs to Thermospheric Density Models: Open Issues and Path Forward

Abstract

One of the objectives of the NASA LWS Institute on Nowcasting of Atmospheric Drag for LEO Spacecraft was to investigate whether and how to increase the accuracy of atmospheric drag models by improving the quality of the solar forcing inputs, namely Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance information. In this focused review, we examine the status of and issues with EUV measurements and proxies, discuss recent promising developments, and suggest a number of ways to improve the reliability, availability, and forecast accuracy of EUV measurements in the next solar cycle.