Observation and modelling of whistlers in the ELF as observed by Swarm satellites during regular ASM burst sessions

The magnetic component of electromagnetic signals in the Extremely Low Frequencies (ELF) has been rarely observed from space. The Swarm satellites have the capability of observing part of this spectral band during burst sessions of the Absolute Scalar Magnetometer (ASM), when the sampling frequency of the instrument is raised to 250 Hz. Burst sessions of one week duration have been acquired regularly since 2019. Swarm satellites drift slowly in local time, therefore it has been possible to progressively acquire burst data to cover all hours at all latitudes. This is a unique opportunity at Low Earth Orbits (LEO) in recent years.

This study focuses on whistlers excited by lightning strikes generated by strong storm systems in the troposphere. The ELF component of the lightning signal propagates in the neutral atmosphere at very long distances. We used data from the ground stations of the World ELF Radiolocation Array (WERA) in order to estimate lightning locations and intensity for remarkable events. Part of the lightning signal penetrates into the ionosphere, where the ionospheric plasma produces its dispersion, depending on the spatial distribution of the plasma and the direction of the magnetic field.

We selected events to simulate their propagation through the ionosphere, using ionosonde data, IRI Real-Time Assimilative Mapping (IRTAM) and International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model as backgrounds, along with the latest version of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF). This technique allows to use these signals to sound the ionosphere and validate ionospheric models.

A database of whistler occurrences and parameters has been constructed and a new Swarm L2 product has been defined to make this data accessible to the scientific community.