Many electromagnetic emissions related to earthquakes have been observed by using space-based monitoring systems in the past decades. Such systems can operate together with ground-based monitoring networks to improve the capability to detect abnormal information related to earthquakes. The first French-developed satellite, known as Detection of Electro-Magnetic Emission Transmitted from Earthquake Regions (DEMETER), is used for detecting ionospheric perturbations associated with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. DEMETER has produced significant results, but the mission ended in 2010. However, the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) project began in 2013, and CSES will be launched in early 2018. CSES is proposed to be the first experimental satellite for earthquake-related electromagnetic emission monitoring from the ionosphere. This satellite is the first space observation platform within the 3D earthquake observation system in China. The objectives of CSES are as follows: (1) obtain worldwide data on space environment of the electromagnetic field, ionospheric plasma, and energetic particles; (2) monitor ionospheric perturbations in real-time when the satellite passes over Chinese territories and their adjacent area; and (3) investigate ionospheric perturbations that may be associated with earthquake activity, especially destructive phenomena. Eight scientific payloads, including search coil magnetometer, high precision magnetometer, electric field detector, GNSS occultation receiver, plasma analyzer package, Langmuir probe, high energy particle analyzer, and tri-band beacon, will be on board CSES to address the aforementioned objectives. All the payloads are used for monitoring the electromagnetic field, its disturbances, and the ionosphere environment. The payloads are also used to obtain the changing information of ionospheric structure below the satellite altitude. The detecting elements include electromagnetic field, plasma wave, electron density, electron temperature, ion temperature, ion composition, ion velocity distribution, and ion drift velocity. The CSES will provide an approach to studying the electromagnetic disturbances related to earthquakes, recognizing the regularity and mechanism of ionospheric disturbance, and studying atmosphere-ionosphere-lithosphere interactions. The data process method of CSES is a completely new research field for Chinese researchers, and the method has been developed in recent years. In this paper, we introduced the data catalog, data processing level, and the definitions thereof. The CSES data are divided into five levels (0—4). The general data processing procedure and the associated products were introduced. The data processing procedures of Levels 1 and 2 and the key algorithms of each scientific payload were described in detail.

CSES satellite;data level;data process method and procedure;data product