IPIR - Ionospheric Plasma IRregularities characterised by the Swarm satellites is a project funded through the Swarm DISC - Data, Innovation and Science Cluster, which is a consortium of expert partners with a project office at DTU Space supporting the exploitation of the Swarm mission. Swarm DISC is funded by the European Space Agency, through ESA contract 4000109587/13/I-NB, as part of the Agency’s Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP)
About the project
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 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 develop a high-level, global product based on Swarm measurements that will characterise 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.
Team
IPIR a collaborative project between the Department of Physics, University of Oslo and the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. The core team consists of scientists from both institutions with complementary expertise.
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Product access
Product will be made publicly available upon completion.
Financing
The project funded through the Swarm DISC - Data, Innovation and Science Cluster, which is a consortium of expert partners with a project office at DTU Space supporting the exploitation of the Swarm mission. Swarm DISC is funded by the European Space Agency, through ESA contract 4000109587/13/I-NB, as part of the Agency’s Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP)