ESA’s Distributed Space Weather Sensor System (D3S) utilizing Hosted Payloads for Operational Space Weather Monitoring

Paper number

IAC-16,D1,7,1,x35329

Coauthor

Dr. Stefan Kraft, ESOC - European Space Agency, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Adriano Lupi, Rhea for ESA, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Juha-Pekka Luntama, ESOC - European Space Agency, Germany

Year

2016

Abstract

Monitoring of the Earth’s and Sun’s environment is an essential task for the now- and forecasting of Space Weather and the modeling of interactions between the Sun and the Earth. Such interaction originates from the pressure of the Solar Wind, the related magnetic field changes, the hot plasma and highly energetic particle streams generated by the active Sun. A large amount of charged particles emerging from the Sun interacts thereby with the magnetic field of the Earth, enters directly or via reconnection into the Earth’s ionosphere and is captured then partly within the radiation belts. 
Due to the asymmetry and complexity of the magnetic field structure, the involved particle environment and its dynamics, it is necessary to capture the state of the magnetic field and the particle distribution in a sufficiently large number of sampling points around the Earth, such that it allows state-monitoring and modeling of the involved processes with sufficient accuracy and timeliness. Further information of such interactions can be observed by observation of the involved processes via remote sensing (e.g. auroral imaging) or probing of the ionospheric properties as a function of the altitude and position around Earth. 
Within the Space Situational Awareness programme, ESA is implementing an Enhanced Space Weather Monitoring system, which is also making use of hosted payloads as part of the establishment of a Distributed Space Weather Sensor System (D3S). Two hosted payloads are currently being implemented on two missions: a versatile magnetometer on the Korean Geo-Kompsat-2A satellite and a radiation monitor hosted on EDRS-C. We will give an overview of the SSA Enhanced Space Weather Monitoring System, the currently planned D3S and its hosted payloads, and we will report on the related constraints on possible flight opportunities for operational Space Weather Monitoring.

Abstract document

IAC-16,D1,7,1,x35329.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-16,D1,7,1,x35329.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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