Observing Earth space environment with LEO multi-mission data

In situ data from satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) has become indispensable to monitor and explore near-Earth space. In contrast to ground-based observations they provide global coverage, and they sense parameters at altitudes that often remain hidden when applying remote sensing techniques either ground- or space-based. 

In recent years, data derived from instruments onboard LEO missions, which were not primarily dedicated for space science application, have proven added value in deriving the spatial and temporal variations of the magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere.

This presentation will discuss the benefit of calibrated data from platform magnetometers that are originally designed for spacecraft attitude control. We will put focus on the dual-satellite GRACE-FO mission, that is suitable to derive scale-lengths, e.g., for auroral field-aligned currents, and in constellation with data from other platform magnetometers to resolve the local time dependence of the magnetospheric ring current signal. We further introduce new data sets of electron density and GPS-derived topside electron content from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions.