Open Call for Ideas for New Data Products, Tools and Services for Swarm

This announcement by the Swarm Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (Swarm DISC) - an ESA-funded international consortium comprising 35 partners from Europe, Canada and the US - is to solicit ideas for “New data products, tools, and services” enhancing the scientific outcome of ESA's satellite constellation trio Swarm.

The three Swarm satellites Alpha, Bravo and Charlie have now provided 10 years of data on Earth's geomagnetic field and associated plasma environment. Ideas collected through previous calls have since 2016 resulted in 15 projects procured through open Invitations to Tender (ITTs). Furthermore, Swarm DISC have provided recommendations for progression of other ideas through letters of support to national institutions or inclusion in other ESA work programmes, pre-studies, and workshops.

The call welcomes ideas for products, tools, and services that can potentially support basic scientific research including those ideas for which a preliminary feasibility study may be needed. In particular, we encourage applications using novel approaches to Swarm-related research problems, however, the call does not target research in itself. New concepts may be based on Swarm data only, or merged with data from other satellites or ground-based measurements that will support science based on Swarm. For information on the Swarm mission, please visit: https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/swarm/description

New data products may become part of the Swarm data distribution chain and the virtual research services VirES for Swarm (http://vires.services/), open and available to all. More information is available on the Data Access page https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/swarm/data. Updated descriptions of the current Swarm data products are available in the Swarm Data Handbook (https://swarmhandbook.earth.esa.int/).

Interested individuals or groups are encouraged to submit new ideas by 19 September 2024 via email to Swarm_DISC_CallForIdeas@space.dtu.dk using the proposal template available here: SwarmDISC-CallForIdeas-Template. The Swarm DISC Advisory Board (DAB), comprised of scientists from the collaborating institutions, will assess the scientific value and level of maturity of submitted ideas and provide recommendations to Swarm DISC and ESA for selection and further development through an open ITT process (https://www.space.dtu.dk/english/research-divisions/geomagnetism-and-geospace/projects/swarm/swarm-disc-invitations-to-tender). ITTs are planned for publication in the last quarter of 2024 or first quarter of 2025 - with project start envisaged for the second half of 2025. Projects selected through this process will be awarded implementation contracts managed by Swarm DISC under the supervision of ESA. The budget of a contract will be between 0,5 – 2 man-years. Note that the present call for ideas does not guarantee that a contract will be placed. Note also, that ITTs will be open only to ESA Member and Associated states participating in the Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP).