Plasma and Magnetic Field File Description

Plasma and Magnetic Field Data Files

Each zipped file will yield two files when unzipped. A file is created for each of two types of data, plasma and magnetic field. The file names contain the following information:

Data Type I = Plasma

B = Magnetic field

yr Single digit year in the 1980s

mo 2-digit month

da 2-digit day

hr 2-digit hour in which the data started.

For example, the file
I4092612.1
contains Plasma data for September 26, 1984, starting somewhere in hour 12.

Data File Contents

Each line contains the following contents, and the items are tab-delineated. The Plasma file (starts with i*) contains:

Mid Time The center of the accumulation time interval for the data point, in DA/MO/YR HR:MN:SS format

DT The accumulation time for the measurement - normally one spin.
Xgse Spacecraft location in GSE coordinates, in Re

Ygse "

Zgse "

R "

Magnetic Latitude " (in degrees)

Magnetic Local time " (in decimal hours)

Np Density of Protons (1/cm³)

Vp Velocity of protons, 3 components, X, Y, Z in GSE coordinates (in km/s)

Tp Temperature of the protons (in 10⁶ K)

Ne Density of electrons (1/cm³)

Ve Velocity of electrons, 3 components, X, Y, Z in GSE coordinates (in km/s). This quantity is rarely correct. Do not use for quantitative work.

Te Temperature of the electrons (in 10⁶ K)

The magnetic field file (starts with b*) also contains the same initial 8 columns, and then

Bx Magnetic field in nT, GSE coordinates

By

Bz

CAVEATS:

The electron velocity is rarely correct, due to photoelectrons and/or missing real electrons at low energies. Please do not use.
The ONLY moment which should be used in the solar wind is proton bulk velocity.

Data Type	I = Plasma
	B = Magnetic field
yr	Single digit year in the 1980s
mo	2-digit month
da	2-digit day
hr	2-digit hour in which the data started.

Mid Time	The center of the accumulation time interval for the data point, in DA/MO/YR HR:MN:SS format
DT	The accumulation time for the measurement - normally one spin.
Xgse	Spacecraft location in GSE coordinates, in Re
Ygse	"
Zgse	"
R	"
Magnetic Latitude	" (in degrees)
Magnetic Local time	" (in decimal hours)
Np	Density of Protons (1/cm³)
Vp	Velocity of protons, 3 components, X, Y, Z in GSE coordinates (in km/s)
Tp	Temperature of the protons (in 10⁶ K)
Ne	Density of electrons (1/cm³)
Ve	Velocity of electrons, 3 components, X, Y, Z in GSE coordinates (in km/s). This quantity is rarely correct. Do not use for quantitative work.
Te	Temperature of the electrons (in 10⁶ K)