DISC Activities
Swarm DISC (the Data, Innovation and Science Cluster) is a consortium of expert partners with a project office at DTU Space.
Swarm-Aurora
The aurora is a unique manifestation of plasma processes in the near-Earth space environment. Swarm-Aurora was designed to facilitate and drive the use of Swarm in situ measurements in auroral science. Swarm-Aurora will build a bridge between the Swarm and auroral science communities. Swarm-Aurora (http://swarm-aurora.phys.ucalgary.ca) is a web-based tool which provides access to quick-look summary data for a large array of ground-based instruments, as well as Swarm in situ measurements. This web interface allows researchers to quickly and efficiently browse Swarm and ASI data sets to identify events of interest. Swarm-Aurora drastically lowers the barrier of entry to optical and swarm data, reducing the time needed to do a survey of Swarm and ground-based instruments for investigating auroral phenomena. We expect this project to form the basis of the next generation of data viewers and access protocols for auroral science. The platform is built to be scalable (to other instruments, both ground and in situ) and useable for decades to come.
More information about this project can be found at
http://swarm-aurora.phys.ucalgary.ca
Project duration: November 2015 - March 2017. This project is funded by ESA via the Swarm DISC, Sub-Contract No. SW-CO-DTU-GS-016.
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Multi-Approach Gravity Field Models from Swarm GPS
Although the knowledge of the gravity of the Earth has improved considerably with CHAMP, GRACE and GOCE satellite missions, the geophysical community has identified the need for the continued monitoring of its time-variable component with the purpose of estimating the hydrological and glaciological yearly cycles and long-term trends. Currently, the GRACE satellites are the sole provider of this data and the GRACE Follow On (GRACE-FO) mission aims to take over this role after December 2017.
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.
Recently, the geodetic community has realised that the combination of the different gravity field solutions is superior to any individual model, and this project will exploit this fact and deliver to highest quality gravity field models, resulting from the combination of 4 different gravity field estimation approaches. Additionally, we intend to evaluate the added value of Kinematic Baselines (KBs) in the quality of the combined gravity field model. We will also determine the benefit of two different models of non-gravitational forces and the measured non-gravitational accelerations from Swarm-C to the quality of the gravity field models.
More information about this project can be found at
https://www.researchgate.net/project/Multi-approach-gravity-field-models-from-Swarm-GPS-data
Project duration: September 2017 - September 2018. This project is funded by ESA via the Swarm DISC, Sub-Contract No. SW-CO-DTU-GS-111.
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Auroral Electrojet and Auroral Boundaries Estimated from Swarm Observations (Swarm-AEBS)
The Swarm mission provides an excellent opportunity for studies related to the ionospheric currents, aurora, magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, and space weather especially at high latitudes.
In the Swarm-AEBS project, a set of new Swarm data products that characterize the auroral electrojets and auroral oval boundaries will be derived from Swarm magnetic field measurements. These include the electrojet sheet current density as well as the total horizontal sheet and associated large-scale field-aligned current density along the Swarm orbit ionospheric footprints at auroral latitudes, estimated using the Spherical Elementary Current System (SECS) method. The electrojet sheet current density will also be estimated using the Line Current (LC) method as this method allows extending the analysis to cover the polar cap region as well. The electrojet boundaries and peaks will also be provided, the latter characterized in terms of peak current density and peak magnetic field disturbance at ground level. The set of products is completed by auroral oval boundaries, associated with auroral precipitation, that are estimated from the presence of small-scale (<150 km) field-aligned currents.
More information about this project can be found at
http://www.space.fmi.fi/MIRACLE/Swarm_AEBS/
Project duration: January 2018 - January 2019. This project is funded by ESA via the Swarm DISC, Sub-Contract No. SW-CO-DTU-GS-112.
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The average magnetic field and polar current system model (AMPS)
This project will produce, validate and disseminate a new climatological model of polar ionospheric currents. The model, which will be based on magnetic field measurements from the Swarm constellation and from the CHAMP satellite, will provide polar maps of field-aligned and horizontal ionospheric currents. These maps will be expressed as continuous functions of solar wind velocity, interplanetary magnetic field magnitude and orientation, the dipole tilt angle, and the F10.7 index.
The model will represent a significant advancement compared to previous models mainly for two reasons:
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We will not impose any hemispheric symmetries, and we account for geometric distortions by the main magnetic field, so that currents in the two hemispheres can be compared precisely, and
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we co-estimate both field-aligned currents and horizontal currents directly from the magnetic field, without any assumption about conductivity or electric fields.
More information about this project can be found at
http://klaundal.b.uib.no/
Project duration: September 2017 - August 2018. This project is funded by ESA via the Swarm DISC, Sub-Contract No. SW-CO-DTU-GS-113.
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Ionospheric plasma irregularities and fluctuations based on Swarm data (IPIR)
Ionospheric plasma is often characterised by irregularities and fluctuations in its density. They are the result of various plasma instabilities, reflecting complex interactions in the near-Earth space environment. Plasma density irregularities and fluctuations can influence the propagation of trans-ionospheric radio waves and are thus of importance for ground based operations that rely on precise positioning with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Understanding ionospheric plasma irregularities and fluctuations is thus of both scientific and practical interest.
Through the IPIR project we will develop a high-level, global product based on Swarm measurements that will characterize ionospheric irregularities and fluctuations, and address the needs of scientific community and operational users. The product will provide characteristics of plasma density structures in the ionosphere and will assign them to predominant plasma processes and regions in the ionosphere. This result will open possibilities for extensive, global studies of plasma irregularities and fluctuations. IPIR will also provide indication, in the form of a numerical value index, on their severity of the plasma fluctuations for the integrity of trans-ionospheric radio signals and hence the accuracy of GNSS precise positioning.
More information about this project can be found at
http://www.mn.uio.no/fysikk/english/research/projects/swarm-disc-ipir/
Project duration: November 2017 - November 2018. This project is funded by ESA via the Swarm DISC, Sub-Contract No. SW-CO-DTU-GS-114.
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DISC
