With an emphasis on large-scale processes and collaborative efforts, it highlights important gains in our understanding of how coupling between atmospheric regions affects the state of the thermosphere. Regrettably, there are additional contributions of equal value which are not acknowledged in this paper. The importance of the thermosphere to the continuing viability of humankind on Earth mandates our complete understanding of thermospheric variability. We must continue to investigate the natural connections between the thermosphere and other solar-terrestrial regimes. Only when the natural processes are understood will we be able to use thermospheric diagnostics to measure anthropogenic changes to the system.
Much work remains to be done.
The thermospheric research community will continue to coalesce in order to address the unresolved connections cited here and in the broader scientific literature. The author is grateful to Anatta for sundry comments on writing style and to Tom Holzer for helpful suggestions.