The TIGER (thermospheric–ionospheric geospheric research) program: Introduction

In 1998, the long-term TIGER Program was established within the framework of the SCOSTEP International Solar Cycle Study Working (ISCS) Group 1, Panel 2. The primary objective of this initiative is to determine the variable solar extreme ultraviolet/ultraviolet (EUV/UV) and X-ray fluxes to improve the existing and future thermospheric–ionospheric (T/I) models and to derive EUV/UV indices or proxies for various applications in space research and space-related fields such as navigation and communication. In 2004, the 5th TIGER Symposium was held as a session of COSPAR. The science topics are summarized in the following sections.