David J. McComas

TL;DR: The solar wind Electron Proton Alpha Monitor (SWEPAM) experiment provides the bulk solar wind observations for the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) as discussed by the authors, which provides the context for elemental and isotopic composition measurements made on ACE as well as allowing the direct examination of numerous solar wind phenomena such as coronal mass ejections, interplanetary shocks, and solar wind fine structure, with advanced, 3-D plasma instrumentation.

TL;DR: The first spacecraft to fly into the low solar corona is the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) as discussed by the authors, which is scheduled for launch in mid-2018 and will perform 24 orbits over a 7-year nominal mission duration.

TL;DR: In this paper, the overall effectiveness of shock wave disturbances and CMFs in general in stimulating geomagnetic activity was explored using a recently appreciated capability for distinguishing CMEs in solar wind data in the form of counterstreaming solar wind electron events.

TL;DR: The scientific objectives targeted by the SPP/FIELDS instrument, the instrument design itself, and the instrument concept of operations and planned data products are described.

TL;DR: Observations by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer have revealed surprising features in the interaction between the heliosphere and the interstellar medium, including a bright ribbon of ENA emission, unpredicted by prior models or theories.