Swarm Science and Validation Opportunity

Swarm, ESA's magnetic field mission, is scheduled for launch in July 2012. A constellation of three satellites with multiple instruments to survey the geomagnetic field and the near-Earth environment at unprecedented resolution and accuracy, Swarm will have a 4-year nominal operations phase.

According to the ESA Earth observation free and open data policy, all validated data will be made available to users worldwide.

Today, ESA is pleased to issue the Swarm Science and Validation Opportunity (SSVO) aimed at:

• Engaging expert groups in the validation of Level 1B data products.

• Furthering the development of the Swarm user community by announcing research opportunities using Swarm Level 1B and Level 2 data products.

Swarm will provide high-precision and high-resolution measurements of the strength, direction and variation of the magnetic field, complemented by precise navigation, accelerometer and electric field measurements.

These observations are required to separate and model various sources of the geomagnetic field and to study near-Earth current systems as well as thermosphere density and winds.

All details concerning this call can be found at the dedicated web page: http://eopi.esa.int/SwarmSVO

The deadline for submission of proposals in response to this call is 31 October 2011.