Space weather covers a wide range of physical domains embedded in the heliosphere. Starting from the interior of the Sun outward to the photosphere, then through the solar corona and the solar wind into interplanetary space, reaching out to the boundary of the heliosphere with interstellar space, space weather phenomena determine the environment of all Solar System objects. Of particular interest are the immediate environments of magnetised and non-magnetised planets and moons. Space weather often focuses on Earth, its magnetosphere, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere, quite evidently because of the technological implications. Space weather is driven to a large extent by the Sun, but also by planetary atmospheres, interstellar and even intergalactic space (cosmic rays), and involves neutral matter (gas, dust) and ionised plasma (from low to extremely high energies). Our theoretical understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena that occur in the heliospheric arena is reflected in the construction of models.

The broad range of physical mechanisms encountered in the space environment requires a large set of models, each of which is adequate to describe the specific conditions found in a particular region of the solar system. Because of the mutual interaction between the different phenomena, it becomes ever more evident that our understanding of the space environment requires that our know-how be combined. This implies a coupling of models to describe various subsystems at the same time, and take into account their interaction. One important type of coupling is that in which descriptions of the space environment are coupled with models that describe the effects of this environment on human technology or the human body: these are the space weather effects that engineers and policymakers are worried about because of their societal relevance.

While access to many individual or locally coupled models are provided via the tools and products available from the different service pages located on the SWE portal, indeed some make use of the VSWMC infrastructure, the aim is to take this a step further. The ESA Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre (VSWMC) is a development that is providing a standards based framework and infrastructure for the coupling and integration of space weather related models.Please use the link below to be directed to the VSWMC interface.

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.

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

The GEN/mod service is realised through the Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre system. This provides chained access to a selection of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionspheric models that can be run in isolation or as an end-to-end system.

In the current operational VSWMC system the following models and predefined model couplings are available:

• EUHFORIA Corona
• EUHFORIA Corona + EUHFORIA Heliosphere + EUHFORIA Visualization
• EUHFORIA Corona + EUHFORIA Heliosphere + EUHFORIA Visualization + Kp Index + Dst Index + Magnetopause Stand-Off Distance
• EUHFORIA Corona + EUHFORIA Heliosphere + EUHFORIA Visualization + Kp Index + Dst Index + Magnetopause Stand-Off Distance + BAS-RBM
• EUHFORIA Corona + EUHFORIA Heliosphere + EUHFORIA Visualization + Kp Index + Dst Index + Magnetopause Stand-Off Distance + GUMICS4
• ODI Kp Index + ODI OMNI Dataset + Magnetopause Stand-Off Distance + BAS-RBM
• ODI OMNI Dataset + GUMICS4

Further details and guidance are available from the HELP link accessible from within the VSWMC interface.

For further information, please contact SSCC Helpdesk. 

Please use the link provided on the overview tab to access the Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre interface. From there you can select from the currently available models and model combinations.

Please use the link provided on the overview tab to access the Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre interface. From there you can select from the currently available models and model combinations.

No alerts are currently provided via this service.

This section provides links to web pages or resources that are not part of the SSA 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