Pierre Vigneron

International Geomagnetic Reference Field: the 12th generation

The 12th generation of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) was adopted in December 2014 by the Working Group V-MOD appointed by the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA). It updates the previous IGRF generation with a definitive main field model for epoch 2010.0, a main field model for epoch 2015.0, and a linear annual predictive secular variation model for 2015.0-2020.0. Here, we present the equations defining the IGRF model, provide the spherical harmonic coefficients, and provide maps of the magnetic declination, inclination, and total intensity for epoch 2015.0 and their predicted rates of change for 2015.0-2020.0. We also update the magnetic pole positions and discuss briefly the latest changes and possible future trends of the Earth’s magnetic field.

The Swarm Satellite Constellation Application and Research Facility (SCARF) and Swarm data products

Swarm, a three-satellite constellation to study the dynamics of the Earth’s magnetic field and its interactions with the Earth system, is expected to be launched in late 2013. The objective of the Swarm mission is to provide the best ever survey of the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution, in order to gain new insights into the Earth system by improving our understanding of the Earth’s interior and environment. In order to derive advanced models of the geomagnetic field (and other higher-level data products) it is necessary to take explicit advantage of the constellation aspect of Swarm. The Swarm SCARF (SatelliteConstellationApplication andResearchFacility) has been established with the goal of deriving Level-2 products by combination of data from the three satellites, and of the various instruments. The present paper describes the Swarm input data products (Level-1b and auxiliary data) used by SCARF, the various processing chains of SCARF, and the Level-2 output data products determined by SCARF.

The Swarm Initial Field Model for the 2014 geomagnetic field

Data from the first year of ESAs Swarm constellation mission are used to derive the Swarm Initial Field Model (SIFM), a new model of the Earths magnetic field and its time variation. In addition to the conventional magnetic field observations provided by each of the three Swarm satellites, explicit advantage is taken of the constellation aspect by including east-west magnetic intensity gradient information from the lower satellite pair. Along-track differences in magnetic intensity provide further information concerning the north-south gradient. The SIFM static field shows excellent agreement (up to at least degree 60) with recent field models derived from CHAMP data, providing an initial validation of the quality of the Swarm magnetic measurements. Use of gradient data improves the determination of both the static field and its secular variation, with the mean misfit for east-west intensity differences between the lower satellite pair being only 0.12 nT.

Swarm SCARF equatorial electric field inversion chain

The day-time eastward equatorial electric field (EEF) in the ionospheric E-region plays a crucial role in equatorial ionospheric dynamics. It is responsible for driving the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) current system, equatorial vertical ion drifts, and the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). Due to its importance, there is much interest in accurately measuring and modeling the EEF for both climatological and near real-time studies. The Swarm satellite mission offers a unique opportunity to estimate the equatorial electric field from measurements of the geomagnetic field. Due to the near-polar orbits of each satellite, the on-board magnetometers record a full profile in latitude of the ionospheric current signatures at satellite altitude. These latitudinal magnetic profiles are then modeled using a first principles approach with empirical climatological inputs specifying the state of the ionosphere. Since the EEF is the primary driver of the low-latitude ionospheric current system, the observed magnetic measurements can then be inverted for the EEF. This paper details the algorithm for recovering the EEF from Swarm geomagnetic field measurements. The equatorial electric field estimates are an official Swarm level-2 product developed within the Swarm SCARF (Satellite Constellation Application Research Facility). They will be made freely available by ESA after the commissioning phase.

First results from the Swarm Dedicated Ionospheric Field Inversion chain

Data-based modeling of the magnetic field originating in the Earth’s ionosphere is challenging due to the multiple timescales involved and the small spatial scales of some of the current systems, especially the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) that flows along the magnetic dip equator. The Dedicated Ionospheric Field Inversion (DIFI) algorithm inverts a combination of Swarm satellite and ground observatory data at mid- to low latitudes and provides models of the solar-quiet (Sq) and EEJ magnetic fields on the ground and at satellite altitude. The basis functions of these models are spherical harmonics in quasi-dipole coordinates and Fourier series describing the 24-, 12-, 8- and 6-h periodicities, as well as the annual and semiannual variations. A 1-D conductivity model of the Earth and a 2-D conductivity model of the oceans and continents are used to separate the primary ionospheric field from its induced counterpart. First results from the DIFI algorithm confirm several well-known features of the seasonal variability and westward drift speed of the Sq current systems. They also reveal a peculiar seasonal variability of the Sq field in the Southern hemisphere and a longitudinal variability reminiscent of the EEJ wave-4 structure in the same hemisphere. These observations suggest that the Sq and EEJ currents might be electrically coupled, but only for some seasons and longitudes and more so in the Southern hemisphere than in the Northern hemisphere.

Swarm equatorial electric field chain: First results

The eastward equatorial electric field (EEF) in the E region ionosphere drives many important phenomena at low latitudes. We developed a method of estimating the EEF from magnetometer measurements of near-polar orbiting satellites as they cross the magnetic equator, by recovering a clean signal of the equatorial electrojet current and modeling the observed current to determine the electric field present during the satellite pass. This algorithm is now implemented as an official Level-2 Swarm product. Here we present first results of EEF estimates from nearly a year of Swarm data. We find excellent agreement with independent measurements from the ground-based coherent scatter radar at Jicamarca, Peru, as well as horizontal field measurements from the West African Magnetometer Network magnetic observatory chain. We also calculate longitudinal gradients of EEF measurements made by the A and C lower satellite pair and find gradients up to about 0.05 mV/m/deg with significant longitudinal variability.

Swarm's absolute magnetometer experimental vector mode, an innovative capability for space magnetometry

European Space Agency’s Swarm satellites carry a new generation of 4He absolute magnetometers (ASM), designed by CEA-Leti and developed in partnership with Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales. These instruments are the first ever spaceborne magnetometers to use a common sensor to simultaneously deliver 1 Hz independent absolute scalar and vector readings of the magnetic field. Since launch, these ASMs provided very high-accuracy scalar field data, as nominally required for the mission, together with experimental vector field data. Here we compare geomagnetic field models built from such ASM-only data with models built from the mission’s nominal 1 Hz data, combining ASM scalar data with independent fluxgate magnetometer vector data. The high level of agreement between these models demonstrates the potential of the ASM’s vector mode for data quality control and as a stand-alone magnetometer and illustrates the way the evolution of key field features can easily be monitored from space with such absolute vector magnetometers

In-flight performance of the Absolute Scalar Magnetometer vector mode on board the Swarm satellites

The role of the Absolute Scalar Magnetometer (ASM) in the European Space Agency (ESA) Swarm mission is to deliver absolute measurements of the magnetic field’s strength for science investigations and in-flight calibration of the Vector Field Magnetometer (VFM). However, the ASM instrument can also simultaneously deliver vector measurements with no impact on the magnetometer’s scalar performance, using a so-called vector mode. This vector mode has been continuously operated since the beginning of the mission, except for short periods of time during commissioning. Since both scalar and vector measurements are perfectly synchronous and spatially coherent, a direct assessment of the ASM vector performance can then be carried out at instrument level without need to correct for the various magnetic perturbations generated by the satellites. After a brief description of the instrument’s operating principles, a thorough analysis of the instrument’s behavior is presented, as well as a characterization of its environment in flight, using an alternative high sampling rate (burst) scalar mode that could be run a few days during commissioning. The ASM vector calibration process is next detailed, with some emphasis on its sensitivity to operational conditions. Finally, the evolution of the instrument’s performance during the first year of the mission is presented and discussed in view of the mission’s performance requirements for vector measurements.

A 2015 International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) candidate model based on Swarm's experimental absolute magnetometer vector mode data

Each of the three satellites of the European Space Agency Swarm mission carries an absolute scalar magnetometer (ASM) that provides the nominal 1-Hz scalar data of the mission for both science and calibration purposes. These ASM instruments, however, also deliver autonomous 1-Hz experimental vector data. Here, we report on how ASM-only scalar and vector data from the Alpha and Bravo satellites between November 29, 2013 (a week after launch) and September 25, 2014 (for on-time delivery of the model on October 1, 2014) could be used to build a very valuable candidate model for the 2015.0 International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF). A parent model was first computed, describing the geomagnetic field of internal origin up to degree and order 40 in a spherical harmonic representation and including a constant secular variation up to degree and order 8. This model was next simply forwarded to epoch 2015.0 and truncated at degree and order 13. The resulting ASM-only 2015.0 IGRF candidate model is compared to analogous models derived from the mission’s nominal data and to the now-published final 2015.0 IGRF model. Differences among models mainly highlight uncertainties enhanced by the limited geographical distribution of the selected data set (essentially due to a lack of availability of data at high northern latitude satisfying nighttime conditions at the end of the time period considered). These appear to be comparable to differences classically observed among IGRF candidate models. These positive results led the ASM-only 2015.0 IGRF candidate model to contribute to the construction of the final 2015.0 IGRF model.