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
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: 2023-09-21
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
  • 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)