BackForwardInstrument:  WHISPER 

Instrument details
Acronym WHISPER
Full name Waves of High Frequency and Sounder for Probing of Density by Relaxation
Purpose Accurate measurement of total plasma density (prime objective); and continuous survey of one electric component of plasma waves (secondary objective)
Short description Relaxation sounding via active sounding of plasma resonances. Total plasma density in the range 0.2-80 particles/cm3; plasma waves in the frequency range 2-80 kHz with an accuracy of about 160 Hz
Background Part of a package of instruments for the study of the Magnetosphere
Scanning Technique Formation flight of 4 satellites in coordinated high-elliptical orbits cross the Magnetosphere for 3-D field reconstruction
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Full magnetospheric volume
Mass Power Data Rate

 

Providing Agency ESA
Instrument Maturity Flown on an R&D satellite
Utilization Period: 2000 to 2026
Last update: 2023-12-21
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
  • Field or radiowave sensor
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Magnetospheric energetic particles and magnetometers
  • Electric field sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
  • Ionospheric plasma density
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Electron Density
  • Ionospheric plasma density
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
Geomagnetic field5 - marginalNo specific limitation.Magnetic field measured through observation of oscillations of the electric fileld
Electric Field3 - highNo specific limitation.Cluster in the magnetosphere. Electric field oscillations, poor dynamic range
Ionospheric plasma density*3 - highNo specific limitation.Ionospheric plasma density measured through observation of oscillations of the electric field
Ionospheric Radio Absorption2 - very highNo specific limitation.Cluster in the magnetosphere. Active radio waves
Electron Density*3 - highNo specific limitation.Electron density measured through observation of oscillations of the electric field
Ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC)1 - primaryNo specific limitation.Cluster in the magnetosphere. Active radio waves