SWACI - Space weather service for high precision GNSS positioning

Abstract

DLR established a novel operational space-weather monitoring service, SWACI - Space Weather Application Centre Ionosphere (http://w3swaci.dlr.de/). The objective is to provide a permanent service, based on GNSS and space weather observations, that generates and distributes specific products to operators of GNSS-based reference networks in order to help them deliver more reliable, precise and secure positioning services and to eventually reduce the operation, production, and other business costs. The objective is achieved by permanently monitoring the ionosphere/space weather, operationally providing ionospheric/space weather observations, pre-processing and calibration of GNSS data, generation of value-added products such as TEC maps and derivative products covering the European and Polar regions, post-processing and analysis of ionospheric/space weather information, analysis of ionospheric/space weather effects, user benefit analysis, etc. Development of forecast products and further improvement of the nowcast products, addressing the ionospheric space weather effects on GNSS applications, are key objectives of the project. It is already clear that there will be a growing market for navigational and precise positioning applications in Europe, particularly when GALILEO becomes operational.