Call for Papers: Special Issue of Earth, Planets and Space (EPS) “Swarm Science Data Processing and Products—the Swarm Satellite Constellation Application and Research Facility, SCARF”
Eigil Friis‐Christensen, Rune Floberghagen · Earth Planets and Space · 2012
In order to take optimal advantage of the unique three-satellite constellation aspect of the European Space Agency's Swarm mission, implemented as part of the Agency's Living Planet programme and targeted for launch within the next months, considerably advanced data analysis tools have been developed. Scientific users of data from the Swarm mission will therefore benefit significantly from free and open access to such derived products, so-called Level 2 data, that take due account the constellation features. This facility, called "Satellite Constellation Application and Research Facility" (SCARF), has been developed, tested and validated by a European consortium of six research institutions under a contractual agreement with ESA. A number of Level-2 data products will be generated by this service, including various models of the core and lithospheric part of the geomagnetic field as well as of the ionospheric and magnetospheric field contribution. In addition, derived parameters like three-dimensional electrical conductivity of the mantle, thermospheric mass density and winds, field-aligned currents, an ionospheric plasma bubble index, the ionospheric total electron content and the dayside equatorial ionospheric electrical field will be provided. This service is planned to be operational for a period of 5 years after the launch of the Swarm Mission, including processing of 4 years nominal mission data. ESA will provide all data products through the archiving and dissemination infrastructure of the Swarm mission.