The magnetic field experiment IMSC and its data processing onboard DEMETER:: Scientific objectives, description and first results

This paper is related to the presentation of the magnetic field experiment IMSC, and to the description of the electronic block named BANT onboard the micro-satellite DEMETER. The main scientific objective of the DEMETER mission is related to the study of the ionospheric perturbations in relation with the seismic and volcanic activities. There are several hypotheses to explain these ionospheric perturbations and one goal is to understand the right generation mechanism. The same scientific payload will allow us to study the ionospheric perturbations in relation with the anthropogenic activities. In total, DEMETER will perform a comprehensive study of the Earth electromagnetic environment at the altitude of the satellite. Onboard DEMETER, all scientific experiments are first processed by the electronic module BANT which is connected to an onboard memory. The functions of BANT will be described, and the first results of IMSC will be presented. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.