The satellite constellation mission Swarm Status of present and perspectives for future Swarm DISC activities

Transcription

1 Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster The satellite constellation mission Swarm Status of present and perspectives for future Swarm DISC activities Nils Olsen DTU Space, Technical University of Denmark

2 Swarm Satellite Constellation 5 th Earth Explorer mission in ESA s Living Planet Programme Launched in November 2013 Three identical satellites: two side-by-side in low orbit (< 470 km) one in higher orbit (< 520 km)

3 Revealing Earth s inner secrets A journey to the centre of the Earth (Jules Verne) Understanding Earth s dynamo in the outer core Mapping magnetic fingerprints in Earth s crust Looking into the composition of the mantle Sensing the weak signature of the ocean currents ESA GOCE & Swarm Roger Haagmans Tromso, Norway 03/06/2014 EOP Slide 3

4 One true Earth (and Earth environment) Explorer on a journey from the core to the magnetosphere and nearly everything in-between The following slides are taken from the presentation by Rune Floberghagen, ESA s Swarm Mission Manager, at 7 th Swarm Data Quality Workshop ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 4

5 Swarm in a scientific context Swarm is a true multi-point & multi-purpose constellation Acts as a catalyser bringing earth science and space physics closer together Examples: event studies vs global field mapping; big picture & climatology vs zooms on smaller-/faster-scale dynamics Great interest beyond EO alone, i.e. from solar-terrestrial community, based on value of LEO constellation ESA endeavours to maximise Swarm s impact in all areas ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 5

6 Strength of the Swarm constellation Highly accurate and multi-point observations make a great combination for the Earth and solarterrestrial sciences ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 7

7 Key to an even greater combination - I To build alliances and partnerships with stakeholders in Earth and solarterrestrial sciences, including space agencies, funding bodies, user groups and services ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 8

8 Key to an even greater combination - II To initiate R&D activities addressing ambitious but realistic challenges, including cross-cutting and leading edge topics, and in a broad context. Example a: From Science with Swarm to Swarm for Science ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 9

9 Key to an even greater combination - II To initiate R&D activities addressing ambitious but realistic challenges, including cross-cutting and leading edge topics, and in a broad context. Example b: Is there a clear societal/service need? ESA UNCLASSIFIED - For Official Use 7 th DQW Delft 24 October 2017 Slide 10

10 Swarm Payload Satellite and instruments Star trackers Vector magnetometer GPS antenna 3D-ion imager Time, position and ionospheric sounding Plasma parameters and electric field Magnetic field Flight direction Laser reflector Absolute scalar magnetometer Thermospheric density and winds 3D-accelerometer Langmuir probe

11 Swarm Data Processing Hierarchy SW-A SW-A SW-A L0 L1b Processor L1b L2 Processor L2 scientific users

12 Level-1b Data Products Magnetic Products Type MAGx_LR MAGx_HR MAGx_CA ASMxAUX VFMxAUX Descriptive Name Low Rate (1 Hz) magnetic data High Rate (50 Hz) magnetic data Magnetic calibration data Magnetic stray fields at ASM sensor Magnetic stray fields at VFM sensor Plasma Products Type EFIx_PL LP_x_CA TIIx_CA Descriptive Name Plasma data Langmuir probe calibration data Thermal Ion Imager calibration data Ephemeris Products x = A, B or C Type GPSx_RO GPSx_RN GPSxNAV MODx_SC STRxATT ACCx_PR Descriptive Name RINEX Observations RINEX Navigation data Navigational Solution Medium-Precision Orbit Determination Attitude Non-gravitational Accelerations

13 Swarm Level-2 Data Products Swarm SCARF (Satellite Constellation Application and Research Facility) - a distributed Level-2 Processing Facility Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 DLR Neustrelitz / D

14 Swarm Level-2 Data Products Cat-2: Algorithms leading to Level-2 products with minimum delay, e.g. for space weather applications. Near real-time capability. Provided in CDF. Algorithms designed by Swarm DISC, data processed by PDGS

15 Swarm Lifetime Perspective Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 DLR Neustrelitz / D

16 ESA s Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC) Recommendations 1 Based on the evidence of continuing technical and scientific excellence, ESAC fully recommends the extension of the Swarm constellation and that the mission be operated for as long as possible (but covering at least one complete solar cycle). Long-term operation of the Swarm constellation allows the crucial collection of data covering relevant time scales (few months to beyond a solar cycle) for studies in relation to the outer core dynamo, signatures of oceanic tides with the corresponding determination of Earth s conductivity as well as to further fill spectral gaps between in situ data, airborne data and the satellite data. The mission also has excellent plans to address the key science questions in a community-driven approach.

17 ESA s Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC) Recommendations 2 ESAC recommends, as part of the mission extension, that ESA performs modest orbit adjustments to the Swarm constellation, i.e. following as closely as possible a naturally decaying and optimal altitude scenario, and thereby enabling the science teams to address the crustal magnetic field with a steadily growing data set for lithospheric science investigations in an incremental way. ESAC recommends, as part of the mission extension operations, that ESA recognises the science opportunity when all three Swarm satellite orbits become co-planar but counter-rotating, allowing a new class of investigations in space physics (addressing especially areas of the magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere and their coupling at different spatial and temporal scales).

18 ESA s Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC) Recommendations 3 ESAC recommends that further ESA-led investigations and impact studies reaching out to space weather programmes and services are conducted by the science and user community. ESAC agrees that studies be initiated by the science community and by ESA within the extension phase to quantify Swarm s contributions to data- and physics-based models in various areas as indicated in the plans that were presented (e.g. new generations of the International Reference Ionosphere, 3D Earth, 4D Deep Earth). This also includes improving the understanding of upper atmospheric climate aspects and upper-lower atmosphere coupling. For the latter, again, long-term operation would be a pre-requisite.

19 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

20 Swarm DISC an expanding community effort to enhance the scientific exploitation of the Swarm mission 23 Swarm DISC Partners and still growing!

21 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

22 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

23 Magnetic Residual Difference between SW-A and SW-C after subtraction of CHAOS-6_x4 model F: 334 pt rms Br: 448 pt rms Bθ: 478 pt rms Bφ: 633 pt rms Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 Difference in vector components between Alpha and Charlie provides independent check of VFM calibration dbsun disturbance correction VFM STR alignment (Euler angles) Less than 0.5 nt difference well within mission specifications DLR Neustrelitz / D

24 Improved and new L1b data products New Plasma (LP) product 16 Hz cross-track flow product (EFI TII) Dec 2016 Aug 2017, for SW-A and SW-B New MAG LR L1b data, version 0502 Manually corrected Accelerometer data ACCxDISi and ACCxCAL (to be distributed as Level-2 product) Extended Observatory Hourly Mean Time series back to 1957 (distributed as AUX data product)

25 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

26 Level 2 data processing Swarm SCARF Swarm Level-2 processing facility Daily and weekly data product updates Magnetospheric field (MMA_F) Thermospheric Density Precise Orbits (POD) Field-aligned currents (FACs), Plasma bubbles (IBI), Equatorial Electric Field (EEF) Total Electron Content (TEC) Ongoing: update of Cat-2 operational processor Long-term data products models of core, lithospheric, and ionospheric fields 1D mantle conductivity 3 rd year data product delivery in May th year delivery will be ready in spring 2018 change of model parameterization / input data for some data products multi-platform, multi-mission, multi sensor approach

27 Proposed New Swarm SCARF activities Improvement of existing products Precise model of the core magnetic field and flow variations over the satellite area Fast and Frequent update of core-field models Advanced Lithospheric Field Model Improvements of the Comprehensive Inversion chain Large-scale magnetospheric field contributions: enhancing temporal resolution from hours to minutes Extended climatological model of non-polar geomagnetic daily variations Extended 1D model of electrical conductivity of the lithosphere and mantle Evolution of 3D mantle conductivity determination Frequency and time domain approaches Improvement of thermospheric density and wind products New SCARF products Auxiliary observatory data: extended time series before Swarm Model of the M2 oceanic tidal signal Global empirical Model of equatorial "bubble"-occurrence rate ASM 250 Hz burst mode data Calibration of Third-Party-Mission-magnetometers Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 DLR Neustrelitz / D

28 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

29 Swarm DISC process for new products and services 2. SDBR evaluation 3. Portfolio approval 4. Procurement / recommendation Procurement / Recommendation: Publication of open Invitation to Tender (0.5 1 FTE) Workshops, etc. Workorder (minor activity) 1. Open Call 5. Implementation Recommendation to ESA / (inter-)national agencies

30 Swarm DISC Procurement Process Principles Open Competitive process Also extension of Swarm DISC with new partners Transparent Effective fast process from idea to start of activity many but short activities short turnaround

31 Swarm DISC Procurement Process Procedure 1. Call for new ideas is announced 2. SDBR Chairman receives ideas for new activities 3. SDBR decision whether to idea should proceed (as ITT, suggestion for other activity, ) 4. Procurement Process 1. EXE forms a TEB which prepares the procurement documents (ITT), in particular the SOW 2. Release of ITT 3. Proposals received in response to the ITT are evaluated by TEB, recommendation is written by TEB 4. EXE forwards recommendation to ESA for approval or justified rejection 5. Approved and rejected proposals are made available to SDBR 5. The project activity starts SDBR (Swarm Disc of Representatives): one representative of each Swarm DISC partner SDBR Chairman: David Knudsen (Univ Calgary/CA, acting chairman) EXE (Swarm DISC Executable): Nils Olsen (DTU Space/DK) TEB (Tender Evaluation Board): 3 5 scientists from different entities that cover (scientific and technical) expertise and to avoid conflict of interests. ESA is part of TEB (no vote). Procurement process is managed by TEB Chairman

32 Swarm DISC Procurement Process Procedure SDBR defines (ESA & EXE approves) the corresponding Activity Category (AC) and Selection Criteria (SC)

33 Status New Procurements First Open Call for Ideas May 2016: 29 ideas evaluated by Swarm DISC Board of Representatives (SDBR) Result: 4 open Invitations to Tender published by Swarm DISC Large community interest on Field Aligned Currents led to FAC-MICE September 2017 Recommendations for consideration in future ESA programmatic options

34 Session 1 Invitations To Tender First Session Invitations to Tender published February / March 2017: ITT-1.1 Swarm as a gravity field mission ITT-1.2 Strength and location of auroral electrojets based on Swarm ITT-1.3 Production and visualization of a climatological model of highlatitude ionospheric and field aligned current systems ITT-1.4 Ionospheric irregularities and fluctuations based on Swarm Status 4 Tender Evaluation Boards assisted the writing of the ITTs and evaluated 9 proposals received over summer 2017 Two projects have kicked off, one project in contract signature process, one still under negotiation

35 ITT-1.1: Swarm as a gravity field mission This project aims at providing high-quality gravity field models from Swarm data that constitute an alternative and independent source of gravimetric data, which could help alleviate the consequences of the potential gap between GRACE and GRACE-FO, as well as the short gaps in the existing GRACE data. 1 proposal received, contract awarded to consortium consisting of: TU Delft (Prime), NL University of Bern, CH Czech Academy of Sciences, CZ Graz University of Technology, AT Ohio State University, US (external service) Kick Off September

36 ITT-1.2 Strength and location of auroral electrojets based on Swarm data 2 proposals received - both evaluated as Very Good and complementary by Tender Evaluation Board. ESA agreed to invite both tenderers for negotiation for a merged project, negotiations ongoing. Project Kick-Off anticipated this fall. Product(s) expected to be available in 2018 and accessible via VirES.

37 ITT-1.3 Production and visualization of a climatological model of high-latitude ionospheric and field aligned current systems 1 proposal received, contract awarded to: Birkeland Centre of Space Science University of Bergen (Prime), Norway Project duration: Kick OFF September 2017 Product expected to be available in 2018 and accessible via VirES For more information:

38 ITT-1.4 Ionospheric irregularities and fluctuations based on Swarm data Complex interactions in the near-earth space environment result in various plasma instabilities. Plasma density irregularities and fluctuations can influence trans-ionospheric radio wave propagation which impact communication and GNSS services. Understanding ionospheric plasma irregularities and fluctuations is thus of both scientific and practical interest. This project will deliver the IPIR Ionospheric Plasma IRregularities product - a highlevel, global product that will characterize ionospheric irregularities and fluctuations, based on a combination of data from different instruments. It will characterize plasma density structures in the ionosphere, in terms of their amplitudes, gradients and spatial scales, and will assign them to predominant plasma processes and regions in the ionosphere, providing comprehensive information on the morphology at all latitudes. The severity of irregularities will be reflected in the IPIR-index, which will be established by comparing on-board plasma density, TEC and ROT data against ground based instruments.

39 ITT-1.4 Ionospheric irregularities and fluctuations based on Swarm data 5 proposals received, contract awarded to: University of Oslo (Prime), Norway GFZ, Germany Project duration: Kick Off November 2017 Product expected to be available in 2018 and accessible via VirES

40 Second Call for Ideas, May new ideas received evaluated by SDBR in June 2017 together with ideas postponed from first session Three Invitations to Tender (ITTs) to be published Swarm Virtual Observatory Network for Monitoring Core Field Variations Swarm-based ionospheric/magnetospheric boundary locations and models Swarm-based model of ionospheric electron and ion temperatures Three calls for community effort (consolidation of idea) in preparation for a possible future ITT Satellite-based plasma density irregularity empirical model Enhanced data products from the Swarm Langmuir Probes Pc1 and Pc3 wave indices

41 Second Call for Ideas, May new ideas received evaluated by SDBR in June 2017 together with ideas postponed from first session Two ideas recommended for implementation through VirES Swarm magnetic field residuals for ionospheric and magnetospheric studies Magnetic field gradient for lithospheric field studies One idea recommended to be considered as part of ESA initiative 4D-Ionosphere Assimilative Mapping of Global and Localized Ionospheric Electrodynamics (AMIE) One idea recommended for community effort exercise in a MAG-MICE workshop Monitoring the magnetospheric Ideas not ring-current brought forward using magnetic for implementation data taken in space will and be kept on ground for reconsideration by SDBR but we welcome resubmission of improved proposals to future calls, based on SDBR feedback

42 Swarm DISC Data, Innovation, and Science Cluster SCARF Level 2 data processing Level 1b data Public Outreach Web stories, Press releases, Swarm Documentary, Swarm DISC Swarm Webpages Data Handbook Swarm Wiki, Extension of SCARF activities New Products and Services

43 Communication to the Scientist Swarm Webpage Data Handbook, Swarm Wiki, Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 DLR Neustrelitz / D

44 Communication to the Scientist Swarm Webpage Data Handbook, Swarm Wiki, Nils Olsen (DTU Space) 26 November 2017 DLR Neustrelitz / D

45 Summary Swarm satellites and payload are in excellent shape after 4 years in space Preparation for a long mission at least one solar cycle (i.e. until 2024), but heading for mission lifetime to Extending of mission focus from Earth Explorer to Earth Environment Explorer Most Swarm data users state Space physics as their main research area New products, New services, New activities ESA STSE ( Support to Science Element ) activities like 4D Ionosphere ESA activities involving EO and SSA programs?

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