Geomagnetic data from the GOCE satellite mission

Abstract The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) is part of ESA’s Earth Program. satellite carries magnetometers that control the activity magnetorquers for navigation satellite, but are not dedicated as science instruments. However, intrinsic steady states instruments can be corrected by alignment calibration, artificial perturbations, e.g. from currents, removed their characterisation correlated to housekeeping data. leftover then shows natural evolution variability Earth’s magnetic field. This article describes pre-processing input data well calibration steps performed on GOCE data, using a high-precision model reference. For geomagnetic quiet times, standard deviation residual below 13 nT with median (11.7, 9.6, 10.4) three components ( x , y z ). validation performance, we selected storm event in March 2013. show good agreement results ground observation network. mission overlaps CHAMP short time at beginning 2010, does overlap Swarm or any other flying low altitude carrying magnetometers. We expect calibrated useful lithospheric modelling filling gap between missions Swarm. Graphic