Future Plans for Space Weather Observations
– U.S. NOAA Perspective
Terry Onsager
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Space Weather Prediction Center
U.S. National Plan for Earth Observations
• US National Plan released in July, 2014
• Based on a policy framework for routine
assessment of Earth observations
• Establishes priorities and actions to
advance civil Earth observing capabilities
• Defines two observation categories:
- Sustained: support public services
- Experimental: multi purpose, time limited
• Will be revised every three years, new
assessment effort beginning this month
Societal Benefit Areas
Assessment of observations organized in 12 Societal Benefit Areas:
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Agriculture and Forestry
Biodiversity
Climate
Disasters
Ecosystems
Energy and Mineral Resources
Human Health
Ocean and Coastal Resources
Space Weather
Transportation
Water Resources
Weather
Group on Earth Observations
High Impact Observing Systems with
Space Weather Benefit
Tier 1 Highest Priority – Support a majority of societal themes:
• Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite System (GOES)
• MetOp – Polar Orbiting Operational Meteorology (EUMETSAT)
Tier 2
• Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)
• Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)
• International Magnetometers
• Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (POES)
• Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
• Solar Dynamics Explorer (SDO)
• Solar Electro-Optical Network
• Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) Satellites
• USGS Geomagnetic Observatories
Agency Roles and Responsibilities:
Space Weather Monitoring
• NOAA (with NASA, interagency and international partners):
Conduct sustained observations for space weather monitoring
and prediction
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Solar wind (including coronal mass ejections)
Solar flares
Energetic particles
Related measurements to forecast space weather events
• Provide measurements through:
- GOES
- DSCOVR (2015)
- Beyond DSCOVR – study options, international/interagency
Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)
Solar Wind Mission
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Launch scheduled for January, 2015
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Space weather is the primary mission; climate is
secondary
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Faraday cup: solar wind density, speed, temperature
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Electron electrostatic analyzer
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Magnetometer
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International network of real-time receiving antennas:
Germany, Japan, South Korea, U.S.
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Real-time data processed and provided by NOAA
DSCOVR Follow-on L1 Mission
• Launch planned for 2020
• Measurement baseline:
DSCOVR
Thermal plasma (density, velocity,
temperature)
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Magnetometer
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Low-energy ions
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Coronagraph
Observations off the Sun-Earth line (such as L5) are also needed for
accurate characterization of Coronal Mass Ejections. It is not clear
how these measurements will be obtained.
Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellites (GOES)
GOES-R is planned to launch in 2016
• Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance
Sensors (EXIS): X-ray sensor, expanded
dynamic range and flare location
• Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) – Full-disk
extreme ultraviolet imager: Active region
characterization, filament eruption, and flare
detection
• Space Environment In-Situ Suite (SEISS):
Electrons, protons, heavy ions – Surface
charging, internal charging, single-event
upsets
• Magnetometer: Detection of geomagnetic
storms and magnetopause crossing, energetic
particle products, model validation
GOES-R
Requirements workshop for
future geostationary
measurements planned for
April 13, 2015, before Space
Weather Workshop
Launch Plan for GOES Satellites
Plan for POES and Partner Satellites
NOAA 15-19 and European MetOp A, B, and C will include NOAA Space Environment
Monitor packages for particle measurements
COSMIC 2
• Joint Taiwan-U.S. planned 12-satellite constellation
• GNSS Radio-Occultation measurements – GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS
• 6 low-inclination and 6 high-inclination satellites
• First launch (6 low-inclination) planned for 2016
• NOAA is working with international partners to host/operated datareceiving ground stations
Components of NOAA’s Numerical Space
Weather Modeling Effort
Solar /Solar Wind
Magnetosphere/
Ionosphere
Atmosphere/
Ionosphere
ACE and DSCOVR
WSA/Enlil
Operational
Univ. of Michigan Geospace
2015
Whole Atmosphere Model/
Ionosphere-Plasmasphere
2017
Coupling of Atmospheric Dynamic to the
Ionosphere System
Model development includes collaboration with UK researchers and the UK Met Office
Whole Atmosphere Model (WAM = Extended GFS)
Ionosphere Plasmasphere Electrodynamics (IPE)
Integrated Dynamics in Earth’s Atmosphere (IDEA = WAM+IPE)
Ionosphere Plasmasphere
Electrodynamics (IPE) Model
Plasmasphere
WAM: Neutral
Atmosphere
0 – 600 km
GFS
0 – 60 km
Ionosphere
Thermosphere
WAM
Stratosphere
Troposphere
R. Viereck, NOAA/SWPC
Mesosphere
Summary
• The U.S. is implementing a national effort to establish priorities and
actions to advance Earth-observing capabilities
• Two observation categories are defined:
- Sustained: support public services
- Experimental: multi purpose, time limited
• This is an ongoing effort with expected three-year updates
• NOAA is responsible for sustained observations, including GOES,
DSCOVR, and DSCOVR follow-on
• Observations off the Earth-Sun line (e.g., L5) are still unplanned
• Sun-to-Earth operational modelling chain is under development that
will required real-time data for model driving and data assimilation