1. Space-based Observation
of Space Weather in the
WMO Vision for WIGOS 2040
Jérôme Lafeuille (WMO Secretariat)
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

2. Outline Four-year plan for space weather
Overview of «operational» space weather observations from space
Space weather in the draft vision for 2040
Recommendations to CGMS
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

3. 17th Congress about space weather (2015)
WMO should undertake international coordination of operational space weather monitoring and forecasting
with a view to support the protection of life, property and critical infrastructures and the impacted economic activities.
Integrative approach:
space weather observations into WIGOS
data sharing and management within WIS
data processing within the GDPFS
Decision-support services within “service delivery” and DRR
Adopted Res. 38: Four-year plan for WMO coordination of space weather activities, submitted to EC-68 for approval
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

4. Four-year plan in support of international coordination of operational space weather monitoring and forecasting
Coordination/communication/advocacy
Partnership (ISES, ICAO, ITU, ICSU, OOSA,..)
Strategic level
User requirements for product and services
Develop best practices in key areas: aviation, public safety, infrastructures
Training, capacity building
Products & services
Observations (space and ground)
Data exchange
Analysis and forecasting
Systems level

5. High-level coordination of ground- and space-based space weather observations in the 4-year plan
to ensure sustained availability, quality and interoperability of the observations that are essential for warning and other services
to optimize the overall cost of the observing system
through integration of space weather observing systems as component systems of WIGOS:
review observations requirements (from space or surface)
analyse priorities and monitor plans to fill the gaps
dialogue with major space agencies and CGMS…
harmonize sensor specifications and develop best practices for sensor intercalibration (energetic particles)

6. Review of observation needs and capabilities
Initial requirements available in OSCAR/Requirements
Addresses observing needs for forecasts, warnings, alerts, event climatology, model validation
Observation capabilities in OSCAR/Surface, OSCAR/Space
“Statement of Guidance” identifying gaps and priorities in observations to meet these requirements (being updated)
Solar monitoring
Solar wind and energetic particles
Geomagnetic field
Ionosphere and thermosphere
Basis for defining actions («Implementation Plan»)

7. Outline Four-year plan for space weather
Overview of «operational» space weather observations from space
Space weather in the draft vision for 2040
Recommendations to CGMS
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

8. Space-based operational observations of space weather Overview
Key operational observations from space include:
solar and heliospheric imaging, solar radiation monitoring,
solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field measurements
magnetospheric particles and geomagnetic field
ionospheric monitoring by radio-occultation.
A number of additional observations are made
for research purpose
or for platform house keeping requirements
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

9. A snapshot of current/planned system
Solar disc monitoring
SOHO, Stereo A/B >> design life
GOES series, supplemented by Electro-l2 and FY-3E (2018)
Interplanetary observations
WIND, SOHO, ACE, and DSCOVR (Summer 2016)
Plans under discussion (NOAA, ESA, CMA?)
Need coordinated plan to ensure continuity & robustness for solar wind, heliospheric imagery and corona
Ionospheric observation
Radio-occultation (if scanning km)
Plans to renew and expand the constellation (to be confirmed)
Stringent timeliness requirements
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

10. Outline Four-year plan for space weather
Overview of «operational» space weather observations from space
Space weather in the draft vision for 2040
Recommendations to CGMS
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

11. In the New Vision for Space-based Observation in 2040 (in progress)
Solar coronagraph and radio-spectrograph, at L1
In situ plasma, energetic particles, magnetic field (at L1 in solar wind, and GEO)
In situ plasma, energetic particles at LEO
GNSS radio-occultation for temperature, humidity and electron density
Compo- nent I, Operational fixed
Solar EUV/X-ray imager, magnetograph, EUV/X-ray irradiance, on the Earth-Sun line (e.g. L1, GEO) and off the Earth-Sun line (e.g. L5, L4)
Solar coronagraph and heliospheric imager off the Earth-Sun line (e.g. L4, L5)
Solar wind plasma, energetic particles & magnetic field off Earth-Sun line (e.g. L5)
Magnetospheric energetic particles (e.g. GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO)
Compo- nent II, Operational flexible
Solar coronal magnetic field imager, solar wind beyond L1
Ionosphere/thermosphere spectral imager (e.g. GEO, HEO, MEO, LEO)
Ionospheric electron and major ion density,
Thermospheric neutral density and constituents
Additional RO constellation for enhanced atmospheric/ionospheric soundings including use of optimized frequencies
Compo- nent III, Pathfinders technology demo
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

12. The missing link for an operational system…
Policy
Users
Warning forecasts
Ground observation
Space-based observation
Science & product development
COSPAR
IAU
ICAO
IAGM
ITU
URSI
DRR managers
ISES
WMO
Spacecraft op
Power grid ?
WMO
ISES WMO
INTERMAGNET,
ISWI, WMO

13. CGMS could play a unique role
CGMS recognizes and responds to WMO requirements through a longstanding and successful partnership
CGMS involves most if not all operators of space weather payload used in operations
• The needed coordination of observational assets and plans to ensure interoperability and continuity of space weather observations is a unique strength of CGMS
Decade-long experience of hosting space weather instruments on meteorological space craft
• Experience in GSICS, SCOPE, Vlab, can either expand or inspire similar initiatives for space weather

14. Conclusions
The 4-year plan submitted to EC-68 next week foresees integration of space weather observations into WIGOS and dialogue with CGMS «to fill the gaps in space weather observations»
Actions are in progress: on requirements analysis, review of gaps and priorities, assessment of space weather sensors in OSCAR/Space
Space weather is addressed in the draft Vision of space-based observation in 2040
CGMS viewed as privileged forum to coordinate operational space-based observations from space
CGMS SW TT is invited to provide feedback on the Vision for 2040 and possible CGMS actions to fill the gaps.

15. Thank you for your attention
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

16. WMO Inter-Programme Coordination Team on Space Weather (ICTSW)
Established in May, 2010
Joint leadership: Commission for Basic Systems & Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology
United States
Canada
Brazil
United
Kingdom
Finland
Germany
Belgium
Ethiopia
China
Korea
Russian
Federation
South Africa
Switzerland
Pakistan
Italy
Sweden
Poland
France
Thailand
Norway
Ukraine
Japan
Australia
Spain
Mexico
Argentina
26 out of 185 WMO Member States
7 International Organizations
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

17. Ten countries now contribute space weather products on the portal
WMO Space Weather Product Portal
Ten countries now contribute space weather products on the portal
• Enhance awareness of available products
• Demonstrates operational availability
• Encourage global participation in space weather service delivery
• Facilitate intercomparison and coordination of products
• Training under development for new users
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

18. Service Level Activities
• Organize WMO Members to deliver coordinated services responding to ICAO requirements
• Prepare for extreme events in a multi-hazard Disaster Risk Reduction approach
• Analyze requirements for applications including ionospheric disturbances (radio propagation and GNSS), satellites, and ground infrastructure (power grids)
• Provide training on delivery and use of services
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

19. Strategic Level Activities
• Build on:
- Partnership with service providers (ISES)
- Observations providers (e.g., INTERMAGNET, CGMS)
- Scientific organizations (e.g., COSPAR)
- User organizations (e.g., ICAO and ITU)
- Capacity building initiatives (e.g., ISWI)
- Overall UN space policy framework (COPUOS)
• Emphasize synergy with core WMO activities
• Support involvement of additional WMO Members
• Focus on achievable priority objectives for
• Pave the way for long-term sustained activity
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016

20. Actions presented to CGMS-40 in 2012 (WMO-WP-03) (1/2) will be revisited once the SOG and Vision are updated
To develop and implement a coordinated plan ensuring continuity of solar measurements, solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field measurements, and heliospheric imaging, including measurements at different locations such as at the L1 Lagrange point, the Sun-Earth line upstream from the L1 point, the L5 Lagrange point, as well as the required global network of ground-based antennas for data reception and processing.
Develop a plan for maintaining and improving space weather observations of the plasma and energetic particle environment along the following priorities: (1) maintain long-term continuity, and if possible improve the spatial resolution of measurements at all altitudes from LEO through GEO orbits; (2) improve the sharing of existing and planned plasma and energetic particle measurements; (3) include energetic particle sensors on HEO satellites; and (4) conduct research to incorporate the plasma and energetic particle data into numerical models to give flux estimates at all locations where our satellites are in orbit.
To be updated

21. Actions presented to CGMS-40 in 2012 (WMO-WP-03) (2/2)
To improve the timeliness of space-based GNSS measurements from LEO satellites to get near-real-time information about the 3D electron density distribution of the ionosphere/plasmasphere system. (e.g. by use of a RARS/DBNet concept or other network of satellite ground stations for rapid transmission).
To foster sharing of ground-based GNSS data and GNSS Radio-Occultation among the meteorological and space weather communities, and to facilitate the near-real-time access to these data through WIS.
To coordinate the use of dual-frequency radar altimeter observations by Space Weather community to improve or validate ionospheric models and for operational TEC monitoring over the oceans.
To be updated

22. Space-based observation capabilities in OSCAR
OSCAR/Space ( is being upgraded
Online inventory of space-based observing capabilities
Includes ≈ 300 space weather instruments
Records instrument availability and derived measurements, to support gap analyses
New version: expert system to analyze instrument specifications and evaluate the derived measurements
mature knowledge basis for Earth Observation instruments
space weather part is still at an early stage
currently in beta-testing phase
potential for collaborative development

23. Outline Four-year plan for space weather
Overview of «operational» space weather observations from space
Space weather in the draft vision for 2040
Recommendations to CGMS
CGMS-44 SW Task Team, 5 June 2016