The Swarm mission is put into orbit

2013/12/02 Roa Zubia, Guillermo - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia
• Fisika
• Astronautika
• Astronomia

The ESA agency has launched three satellites, the satellite constellation of the Swarm mission, through which it will analyze for four years the magnetic field around the planet Earth. The objective is to complete a concrete map of the magnetosphere.

The three satellites are equal and the ESA has put them in orbit over the poles. But when the three are in different orbits, they will use triangulation to detect where exactly the changes in the intensity of the magnetosphere are.

The Swarm mission, in fact, will investigate the planet itself by analyzing the incidents of the magnetosphere. Earth's magnetic field is in continuous change and these changes provide information about the planet. For example, scientists suspect that the magnetic field is slowly losing strength, and perhaps the initial signal of a process of turning magnetic poles. Experts do not agree on this topic, but the work of the Swarm mission will allow them to have more reliable data for tracking the phenomenon.

The magnetic field is generated mainly in the core of the Earth, but also the mantle and the terrestrial surface participate in this process. The oceans also create a small magnetic field. In fact, the satellites of the Swarm mission will be able to differentiate the sources of the area.