BackForwardInstrument:  SWS/WAI 

Instrument details
Acronym SWS/WAI
Full name Space Weather Suite / Wide-field Auroral Imager
Purpose Observation of Aurora
Short description

UV imaging fluxmeter for the range 140-180 nm. Sensitivity ≥6 counts.s-1.Rayleigh-1. The aurora intensity and form reflect the geomagnetic activity, dynamic feature of high-energy particles in the polar region, and coupling of solar wind with ionosphere.

Calibration monitoring here
Background

Part of the SWS (Space Weather Suite) package
Scanning Technique

Earth's surface observation from a sunsynchronous orbit. Scanning to image a 130° x 130 ° FOV
Resolution 10 km at s.s.p.
Coverage / Cycle Global, daily
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency CMA
Instrument Maturity Flown on operational programme
Utilization Period: 2018 to 2031
Last update: 2024-09-09
Detailed characteristics
Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Space radiometer or spectrometer
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 3
  • UV spectral imagery (e.g. GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO)
  • UV spectral imager [from GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Aurora
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
UV flux1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Earth's limb and surface observed, wide dynamic range
UV sky image1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Earth's limb observed, high spatial resolution
Aurora*2 - very highNo specific limitation.Observed down to Earth's surface in UV (121.6-393.4 nm)