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Space Surveillance and Tracking Services - Atmospheric Estimates for Drag Calculation


Atmospheric neutral densityprovided by UK Met Office.

The service "Space Surveillance and Tracking Services - Atmospheric Estimates for Drag Calculation" aims to provide estimates of atmospheric density. The estimates include high altitude atmospheric density estimate for the past year, atmospheric density forecast and relevant environmental data for the user to compute drag of spacecraft below 1500 km altitude. These are specific forecasts and prior estimates of thermospheric total neutral density in the altitude range 120 – 1500 km. Additionally, this service provides indices and forecasts of geomagnetic and solar activity. It also provides ionospheric forecasting and archive.

This service addresses the needs of space surveillance and tracking users. This includes primarily the users of surveillance and tracking centre(s), stations and services, spacecraft operators (also spacecraft operators service domain), collision warning services and re-entry risk assessment services.

This service is implemented through a combination of products, tools and alerts which can be found through the following tabs along with expert support provided by the teams constituting the SWE Network. Should you require further guidance in the use of this service, or have specific questions about any aspects of the service presented here, don't hesitate to contact the Helpdesk.

The service is implemented through the following set of assets:

  • Atmospheric Density Estimates for SST users (ATMDEN) provided by UK MetOffice;
  • Nowcast and Forecast of Geomagnetic and Solar Activity Indices for SST users (FORIND) provided by the Romanian Institute of Space Science (ISS);
  • Archive of solar and geomagnetic indices (SGIArv) provided by Space Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences (SRC);
  • Space Weather bulletin of the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center (SIDC) provided by the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB);
  • Ionosphere Monitoring and Prediction Center (IMPC) provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR);
  • European Ionosonde Service (EIS) provided by National Observatory of Athens (NOA);
  • Forecast of geomagnetic index provided by the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF Lund);
  • COMESEP alert of geomagnetic storm provided by the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB);
  • Geomagnetic storm alert and prediction provided by Universidad de Alcalá (UAH);
  • SPENVIS Atmospheric and ionospheric models provided by ESA;
  • Nowcast and forecast of geomagnetic indices provided by the British Geological Survey (BGS);
  • Geomagnetic index provided by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU);
  • Geomagnetic indices (Kp, Ap, Hp30, Hp60) provided by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ);
  • Swarm Utilisation Analysis Ionosphere (SUA I) provided by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ);
  • Swarm Utilisation Analysis Geomagnetic conditions (SUA G) provided by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).

This service page is curated by the ESC Ionospheric Weather.  For further information, please contact SSCC Helpdesk

Overview

The interaction between satellite and Earth’s upper atmosphere over a long period of time can significantly modify the satellite orbit. Therefore, atmospheric density models are required in the computation of the atmospheric drag force to support the determination and prediction of satellite orbits. This service provides estimates of neutral density based on an atmospheric model.

The neutral density fields are based on the semi-empirical model DTM2013, which uses solar and geomagnetic indices as input proxies of thermospheric heating. The atmospheric density service uses the following indices from ESA SWE Service Network as input to the DTM2013 model.

Solar index:

  • Forecast (FORIND): F30 Index Forecast Absolute 30-day (CLS)
  • Measured (SGIArv): F30 (absolute)

Geomagnetic index:

  • Forecast (FORIND): ap Index Forecast 3-day (BGS), Ap Index Forecast 27-day (BGS)
  • Measured (SGIArv): Definitive Ap index

Application

These services are expected to be used by a variety of users including:

  • Academics investigating and modelling the upper atmosphere
  • Commercial satellite operators
  • ESA/ESOC/S2P SST segment/Space Debris Office and Flight Dynamics
  • Third party service providers

These all feed into a wider issue of risk management for flight dynamics teams.

Key Products

Atmospheric Density Estimates for SST user (ATMDEN)

The data products provide 3D characterisation of the neutral atmosphere thorough the provision of global horizontal data-layers (2D) at a given time. The atmospheric density products consist of neutral density fields covering:

  • 3 Day forecast (based on forecast 3-hourly ap index and F30)
  • 27 Day forecast (based on forecast daily Ap and F30)
  • 12 month (prior) estimate (based on measured Ap and F30)

The atmospheric density maps are calculated at the following altitude levels: 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, 700, 800, 1000, 1500 km.

Contact

For further information, please contact SSCC Helpdesk

The following products are associated with this service:

Atmospheric neutral density

Neutral Density and Wind
  • Total Density 1-3 Day Forecast
     ATMDEN
  • Total Density 1-27 Day Forecast
     ATMDEN
Neutral Density and Wind

    Geomagnetic indices, forecast

    Geomagnetic Indices Kp and K
    • SIDC Latest daily space weather bulletin
    • SIDC Daily space weather bulletin archive
    • Kp 3-hour Index Forecast 3-day
       FORIND
    • Wing 3-hour Kp Index Forecast 1-hour
       FORIND
    • Wing 3-hour Kp Index Forecast 4-hour
       FORIND
    • Largest Kp Index Forecast 27-day
       FORIND
    • 72-hour K(GBI) forecast
       BGS
    • Forecasts of dB/dt
       IRF
    • SIDC Latest 3-day K Dourbes forecast
    • SIDC 3-day K Dourbes forecast archive
    Geomagnetic Index Ap and A
    • SIDC Latest daily space weather bulletin
    • SIDC Daily space weather bulletin archive
    • ap index Forecast 27-day
       FORIND
    • ap index Forecast 3-day/SWPC
       FORIND
    • ap index Forecast 27-day/SWPC
       FORIND
    • ap index Forecast 45-day
       FORIND
    • ap index Forecast 3-day/BGS
       FORIND
    • 72-hour ap forecast
       BGS
    • 27-day Ap forecast
       BGS
    Geomagnetic Index Dst
    • COMESEP Geomagnetic storm forecast
    • COMESEP Geomagnetic storm forecast
    • Dst Index Forecast 1-hour
       FORIND
    • Forecast of Dst
       IRF
    • UAH-SWE Subscription
       UAH
    • SolarHoldover
       UAH

    Geomagnetic indices, archives and reconstruction

    Geomagnetic Indices Kp and K
    • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
       AMDA
    • Kp, K, Ap, A, Dst archives on SEDAT
       SEDAT
    • Kp - planetary three-hour magnetic index archive
       SGIArv
    • 3-hourly K index: Lerwick, Eskdalemuir, Hartland
       BGS
    • 3-hourly Kp index
       BGS
    • 3-hourly K(GBI) index
       BGS
    • K-index from magnetometer stations in north Europe
       DTU K
    • Most recent definitive Kp index
       GFZ
    • Kp and Ap index archive
       GFZ
    • Hp30 and ap30 index archive
    • Hp60 and ap60 index archive
    • SIDC 3-day K Dourbes forecast archive
    Geomagnetic Index Ap and A
    • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
       AMDA
    • Kp, K, Ap, A, Dst archives on SEDAT
       SEDAT
    • Ap - planetary daily magnetic index archive
       SGIArv
    • 3-hourly aa index
       BGS
    • 3-hourly ap index
       BGS
    • Daily Aa index
       BGS
    • Daily Ap index
       BGS
    • Kp and Ap index archive
       GFZ
    • Hp30 and ap30 index archive
    • Hp60 and ap60 index archive
    Geomagnetic Index Dst
    • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
       AMDA
    • Kp, K, Ap, A, Dst archives on SEDAT
       SEDAT
    • Dst - Disturbance storm time index archive
       SGIArv

    Solar activity, forecast

    International Sunspot number
    • Sunspot Number Forecast SC 12-month
       FORIND
    • Sunspot Number Forecast CM 12-month
       FORIND
    • Sunspot Number Forecast ISM 12-month
       FORIND
    • Sunspot Number Forecast ICM 12-month
       FORIND
    • Sunspot Number Forecast IMLM 12-month
       FORIND
    • Sunspot Number Forecast multi-year
       FORIND
    10.7cm Solar Radio Flux (F10.7)
    • SIDC Latest 10.7cm Solar radio flux (F10.7) forecast
    • SIDC 10.7cm Solar radio flux (F10.7) forecast archive
    • F10.7 Index Forecast 27-day/BGS
       FORIND
    • F10.7 Index Forecast multi-year
       FORIND
    • F10.7 Index Forecast 27-day/SWPC
       FORIND
    • F10.7 Index Forecast 45-day
       FORIND
    • F10.7 Index Forecast 30-day Absolute
       FORIND
    • F10.7 Index Forecast 30-day Adjusted
       FORIND
    Solar EUV Index (S10.7)
      Solar EUV Index (E10.7)
        Solar FUV Index (M10.7)
          Solar X-ray & UV Index (Y10.7)

            Solar activity, archives and reconstruction

            International Sunspot number
            • SIDC/SILSO International sunspot number
            • SIDC/SILSO International sunspot number
            • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
               AMDA
            • R - sunspot number archive
               SGIArv
            10.7cm Solar Radio Flux (F10.7)
            • SIDC 10.7cm Solar radio flux (F10.7) forecast archive
            • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
               AMDA
            • F10.7 archive
               SGIArv
            Solar EUV Index (S10.7)
            Solar EUV Index (E10.7)
              Solar FUV Index (M10.7)
              Solar X-ray & UV Index (Y10.7)

              Other indices,archives and reconstruction

              Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF)
              • Automated Multi Dataset Analysis (AMDA)
                 AMDA
              • IMF - Interplanetary magnetic field archive
                 SGIArv
              Ionospheric Index (IG12)
              • Ionospheric IG index archive
                 SGIArv

              Ionospheric density, forecast

              Vertical Total Electron Content Map
              • TEC map (Europe), 1hr forecast
                 IMPC
              • TEC map (Global), 1hr forecast
                 IMPC
              3D Electron Density Grids

                Ionospheric density, archives and reconstruction

                Vertical Total Electron Content Map
                • Swarm Total Electron Content (TEC)
                   SUA I
                3D Electron Density Grids
                • Swarm electron density (Ne)
                   SUA I

                Tools associated with this service:

                The AMDA system provides an archive of planetary, solar wind, Earth magnetosphere and ionosphere mission and ground based products. In addition it supports a range of standard models such as magnetic footprints, magnetic fields, solar wind propagation to planets and probes as well as access to external databases of observations and simulations. A key functionality of the system is its embedded plotting, data mining and cataloguing functionalities which are extremely useful in relation to posteriori analysis.

                The H-ESC statistical products tool allows the calculation of statistical parameters and event lists based on long time series of data such as solar wind parameters.

                Archive of solar and geomagnetic activity indices for thermospheric drag calculation.

                No alerts are associated with this service.

                This section provides links to web pages or resources that are not part of the ESA Space Weather Network or esa.int domain.  These sites are not under ESA control and therefore ESA is not responsible for any of the information or links that you may find there. 

                Reference documents

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