Solar Physics Division Announces 2024 Hale and Harvey Prizes
Michael Kirk NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
This post is adapted from two Solar Physics Division press releases:
The Solar Physics Division (SPD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) is proud to announce the 2024 winners of its two most prestigious annual scientific prizes. Dr. Judith Lean of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Laboratory for Atmosphere and Space Physics is awarded the George Ellery Hale Prize for her foundational studies in solar irradiance variability and its impact on the Earth’s atmosphere and climate on time scales from days to centuries. Prof. Kristopher Klein of the University of Arizona is awarded the Karen Harvey Prize for his outstanding contributions to our understanding of space plasma turbulence.
Dr. Judith Lean's groundbreaking work has led to the development of the NRL suite of solar irradiance variability models, which are based extensively on solar observations. These models have gained wide acceptance across various communities and have been adopted by NOAA’s National Center for Environmental Information to produce the operational Solar Irradiance Climate Data Record, for use by the Earth science and climate communities, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Beyond her contributions to solar physics, Lean has played a pivotal role in studying natural solar influences on Earth’s upper atmosphere, stratosphere, and climate. Her work crucially differentiates the solar-driven effects from the more dominant anthropogenic influences at the Earth’s surface, contributing significantly to the broader understanding of climate change and ozone layer depletion and recovery.
Prof. Kristopher Klein's innovative work, which includes in situ observations of the solar wind, novel data analysis methods, theoretical frameworks, and simulations, has provided groundbreaking insights into the kinetics of solar wind evolution and the nature of plasma turbulence dissipation. The Harvey Prize acknowledges Klein's exceptional achievements, which are not limited to research alone. His leadership in the scientific community is exemplified by his recent appointment as Project Scientist for the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument aboard NASA's Parker Solar Probe. Additionally, his role as Deputy Principal Investigator of the upcoming NASA HelioSwarm mission highlights his influential presence in the field of solar physics.
The Hale Prize is awarded for outstanding contributions to solar astronomy over an extended period and is presented in memory of George Ellery Hale (1868–1938). The Harvey Prize recognizes a significant contribution to the study of the Sun early in a person's professional career and honors the memory of Karen L. Harvey (1942–2002).