Tracing the Cosmic Energy Flow with Parker Solar Probe: Universal Processes

Heliophysics is inherently interdisciplinary, born from multiple subjects to understand how the Sun interacts with its surrounding environment. Heliophysicists and Astrophysicists seldom exchange ideas since the scientific infrastructure partitions research areas by spatial location in the cosmos. Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is sending back puzzling information in regions we have never been before, presenting an opportunity to search for answers in non-traditional ways that are inherently cross-disciplinary. The fundamental processes that govern the physics of the universe, such as wave-particle interactions, turbulence, magnetic reconnection, and shocks, are mechanisms to study cosmic energy flow. We present PSP observations that may enable us to assess the universality of these fundamental processes in – and across boundaries of –various space and astrophysical regimes. Specifically, we focus on the exotic shapes of proton velocity distribution functions and subsequent evolution leading to multi-scale wave generation and particle acceleration. We welcome ideas, tools, and methodologies from all disciplines to understand the systems of systems governing our universe.