We have developed a new automated small-scale magnetic flux rope (SSMFR) detection algorithm based on the Grad-Shafranov (GS) reconstruction technique. We have applied this detection algorithm to the Wind spacecraft in-situ measurements during 1996 -2016, covering two solar cycles, and successfully detected a total number of 74,241 small-scale magnetic flux rope events with duration from 9 to 361 minutes. This large number of small-scale magnetic flux ropes has not been discovered by any other previous studies through this unique approach. We perform statistical analysis of the small-scale magnetic flux rope events based on our newly developed database, and summarize the main findings as follows. (1) The occurrence of small-scale flux ropes has strong solar cycle dependency with a rate of a few hundreds per month on average. (2) The small-scale magnetic flux ropes in the ecliptic plane tend to align along the Parker spiral. (3) In low speed (< 400 km/s) solar wind, the flux ropes tend to have lower proton temperature and higher proton number density, while in high speed (≥ 400 km/s) solar wind, they tend to have higher proton temperature and lower proton number density. (4) Both the duration and scale size distributions

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We analyze one of the first solar energetic particle (SEP) events of solar cycle 24 observed at widely separated spacecraft in order to assess the reliability of models currently used to determine the connectivity between the sources of SEPs at the Sun and spacecraft in the inner heliosphere. This SEP event was observed on 2010 August 14 by near-Earth spacecraft, STEREO-A (∼80°west of Earth) and STEREO-B (∼72°east of Earth). In contrast to near-Earth spacecraft, the footpoints of the nominal magnetic field lines connecting STEREO-A and STEREO-B with the Sun were separated from the region where the parent fast halo coronal mass ejection (CME) originated by ∼88°and ∼47°in longitude, respectively. We discuss the properties of the phenomena associated with this solar eruption. Extreme ultraviolet and white-light images are used to specify the extent of the associated CME-driven coronal shock. We then assess whether the SEPs observed at the three heliospheric locations were accelerated by this shock or whether transport mechanisms in the corona and/or interplanetary space provide an alternative explanation for the arrival of particles at the poorly connected spacecraft. A possible scenario consistent with the observations indicates that the observation of SEPs at STEREO-B and near Earth resulted from particle injection by the CME shock onto the field lines connecting to these spacecraft, whereas SEPs reached STEREO-A mostly via cross-field diffusive transport processes. The successes, limitations, and uncertainties of the methods used to resolve the connection between the acceleration sites of SEPs and the spacecraft are evaluated.

MHD-based global space weather models have mostly been developed and maintained at academic institutions. While the ``free spirit'' approach of academia enables the rapid emergence and testing of new ideas and methods, the lack of long-term stability and support makes this arrangement very challenging. This paper describes a successful example of a university-based group, the Center of Space Environment Modeling (CSEM) at the University of Michigan that developed and maintained the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) and its core element, the BATS-R-US extended MHD code. It took a quarter of a century to develop this capability and reach its present level of maturity that makes it suitable for research use by the space physics community through the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) as well as operational use by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).