The European Space Agency's three Swarm satellites were launched on 22 November 2013 into nearly polar, circular orbits, eventually reaching altitudes of 460 km (Swarm A and C) and 510 km (Swarm B). Swarm's multiyear mission is to make precision, multipoint measurements of low‐frequency magnetic and electric fields in Earth's ionosphere for the purpose of characterizing magnetic fields generated both inside and external to the Earth, along with the electric fields and other plasma parameters associated with electric current systems in the ionosphere and magnetosphere. Electric fields perpendicular to the magnetic field are determined through ion drift velocity and magnetic field measurements via the relation . Ion drift is derived from two‐dimensional images of low‐energy ion distribution functions provided by two Thermal Ion Imager (TII) sensors viewing in the horizontal and vertical planes; is corrected for spacecraft potential as determined by two Langmuir probes (LPs) which also measure plasma density n_e and electron temperature T_e. The TII sensors use a microchannel‐plate‐intensified phosphor screen imaged by a charge‐coupled device to generate high‐resolution distribution images (66 × 40 pixels) at a rate of 16 s⁻¹. Images are partially processed on board and further on the ground to generate calibrated data products at a rate of 2 s⁻¹; these include , , and ion temperature T_i in addition to electron temperature T_e and plasma density n_e from the LPs.

The lower-thermosphere–ionosphere (LTI) system consists of the upper atmosphere and the lower part of the ionosphere and as such comprises a complex system coupled to both the atmosphere below and space above. The atmospheric part of the LTI is dominated by laws of continuum fluid dynamics and chemistry, while the ionosphere is a plasma system controlled by electromagnetic forces driven by the magnetosphere, the solar wind, as well as the wind dynamo. The LTI is hence a domain controlled by many different physical processes. However, systematic in situ measurements within this region are severely lacking, although the LTI is located only 80 to 200 km above the surface of our planet. This paper reviews the current state of the art in measuring the LTI, either in situ or by several different remote-sensing methods. We begin by outlining the open questions within the LTI requiring high-quality in situ measurements, before reviewing directly observable parameters and their most important derivatives. The motivation for this review has arisen from the recent retention of the Daedalus mission as one among three competing mission candidates within the European Space Agency (ESA) Earth Explorer 10 Programme. However, this paper intends to cover the LTI parameters such that it can be used as a background scientific reference for any mission targeting in situ observations of the LTI.

We present three STEVE (strong thermal emission velocity enhancement) events in conjunction with Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions (THEMIS) in the magnetosphere and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and Swarm in the ionosphere, for determining equatorial and interhemispheric signatures of the STEVE purple/mauve arc and picket fence. Both types of STEVE emissions are associated with subauroral ion drifts (SAID), electron heating, and plasma waves. The magnetosphere observations show structured electrons and flows and waves (likely kinetic Alfven, magnetosonic, or lower‐hybrid waves) just outside the plasmasphere. Interestingly, the event with the picket fence had a >~1 keV electron structure detached from the electron plasma sheet, upward field‐aligned currents (FACs), and ultraviolet emissions in the conjugate hemisphere, while the event with only the mauve arc did not have precipitation or ultraviolet emission. We suggest that the electron precipitation drives the picket fence, and heating drives the mauve as thermal emission.