Abstract
Ground-based indices, such as the Dst, ap and AE, have been used for
decades to describe the interplay of the terrestrial magnetosphere with
the solar wind and provide quantifiable indications of the state of
geomagnetic activity in general. These indices have been traditionally
derived from ground-based observations from magnetometer stations all
around the Earth. In the last 7 years though, the highly successful
satellite mission Swarm has provided the scientific community with an
abundance of high quality magnetic measurements at Low Earth Orbit
(LEO), which can be used to produce the space-based counterparts of
these indices, such the Swarm-Dst, Swarm-ap and Swarm-AE indices. In
this work, we present the first results from this endeavour, with
comparisons against traditionally used parameters. We postulate on the
possible usefulness of these Swarm-based products for a more accurate
monitoring of the dynamics of the magnetosphere and thus, for providing
a better diagnosis of space weather conditions.