Modelling of Ocean Induced Magnetic Signals in Swarm Satellite Data

Abstract:

It is well known that the motion of sea water in the Earth’s main magnetic field induces the secondary magnetic field which can be measured by satellite, land-based or sea surface magnetic measurements, despite being rather weak, reaching intensities of up to a few nT. We focus on the extraction of ocean induced signals from Swarm satellite data and their interpretation by a comparison with synthetic signals. Results of our modeling and data processing efforts will be presented. We use two ocean circulation models: 1) DEBOT, a barotropic model of ocean tide flow and 2) LSOMG, a baroclinic model of global ocean circulation; and two different approaches for modelling the secondary magnetic field: 1) a single-layer approximation model and 2) a three-dimensional time-domain electromagnetic induction model. Swarm data are analyzed along night-time tracks of the satellites. Only a small amount of the data can be used for the analysis of ocean-induced signals because of permanently present strong signals from the magnetosphere and disruptive effects of polar electrojets. Nevertheless, the extracted signals from selected Swarm data tracks show a relatively good coincidence with predicted signals.