Swarm: ESA’s Magnetic Field Mission

Rune Flobergaghen and Giuseppe OttavianelliOriginal

Launched in November 2013, three Swarm satellites will provide new insights into many natural processes related to Earth’s magnetic field: from those occurring deep inside the planet to the near-Earth electromagnetic environment and the influences of the solar wind. Each of the Swarm satellites provides high-precision and high-resolution measurements of the strength, direction and variation of the magnetic field, complemented by precise navigation, accelerometer, plasma and electric field measurements.