MiniMax24: SCOSTEP's Focus on the Weakness of the Current Solar Cycle The Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP) seeks focus on the peculiar state of the Sun by declaring the year 2013 as the year of "MiniMax24" to note that the even though the Sun is going through activity maximum conditions, the activity is rather low. SCOSTEP will conduct year-long scientific and outreach activities to understand and explain the current behavior of the Sun and its potential impact on human society and Earth's space environment. The scientific activity will include a comprehensive "MiniMax24 Campaign" to observe and record the subdued activity of the Sun and compare it with that of previous cycles. In particular, events on the Sun will be recorded and tracked all the way to EarthЃfs atmosphere along paths of mass and electromagnetic flows from the Sun. Outreach activities explaining the implications of the weak solar activity on space weather and EarthЃfs climate. SCOSTEP encourages year-long activities to be led by national SCOSTEP committees and by task group leaders of the current SCOSTEP scientific program CAWSES (Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth System).

A wiki page has been established to record all the MiniMax24 campaign activities: https://igam02ws.uni-graz.at/mediawiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. Members of the scientific community are encouraged to participate in the MiniMax24 campaign by registering in the wiki page and creating a username and password. With this, it is possible to edit the community portal in this wiki page can be edited to include information on daily variability in the solar terrestrial space. Dr. Manuela Temmer (Austria) is the coordinator for the MiniMax24 Campaign. For further information, please contact Dr. Manuela Temmer ([email protected]) or SCOSTEP secretariat (www.yorku.ca/scostep).