Voyager 2 48-s Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG) Magnetic Field Data in CDF Format

This data set includes the Voyager spacecraft number (1 or 2), the date-time in decimal year (90.00000 is day 1 of 1990), the magnetic field strength, F1, computed from high-resolution magnitudes, the elevation and azimuth angles (degrees) in heliographic (RTN) coordinates, and the magnetic field strength, F2, computed from hour averages of the components. The vector components of B can be computed from F2 and the two angles. The elevation angle is the latitude angle above or below the solar equatorial plane, and the azimuth angle is in the direction of orbital motion around the Sun from the projection of the Sun-to-spacecraft axis into the solar equatorial plane. The Voyager MAG experiment and coordinates are further described in the following publication: Behannon, K.W., M.H. Acuna, L.F. Burlaga, R.P. Lepping, N.F. Ness, and F.M. Neubauer, Magnetic-Field Experiment for Voyager-1 and Voyager-2, Space Science Reviews, 21 (3), 235-257, 1977. At the time of experiment proposal, it was expected that the required accuracy of the measurements would be 0.1 nT, determined by the combined noise of the sensors and the spacecraft field. The spacecraft magnetic field at the outboard magnetic field sensor, referred to as the primary unit, was expected to be 0.2 nT and highly variable, consistent with current estimates. Hence, the dual magnetometer design (Ness et al., 1971, 1973; Behannon et al. 1977) was adopted. At distances > 40 AU, the heliospheric magnetic fields are generally much weaker than 0.4 nT; the average magnetic field strength near 40 AU and 85 AU is about 0.15 nT and 0.05 nT, respectively. The use of roll calibrations lasting about 6 hours permits determination of the effective zero levels for the two independent magnetic axes that are perpendicular to the roll axis (which is nearly parallel to the radial vector to the Sun) at intervals of about 3 months. There is no roll calibration for the third magnetic axis. Comparison of the two derived magnetic vectors from the two magnetometers permits validation of the primary magnetometer data with an accuracy of 0.02 to 0.05 nT. A discussion of the uncertainties that must be considered when using these data is given in the Appendix of Burlaga et al. (1994) and in Appendix A of Burlaga et al. (2002). References: Behannon, K.W., M.H. Acuna, L.F. Burlaga, R.P. Lepping, N.F. Ness, and F.M. Neubauer, Magnetic-Field Experiment for Voyager-1 and Voyager-2, Space Science Reviews, 21 (3), 235-257, 1977. Burlaga, L.F., Merged interaction regions and large-scale magnetic field fluctuations during 1991 - Voyager-2 observations, J. Geophys. Res., 99 (A10), 19341-19350, 1994. Burlaga, L.F., N.F. Ness, Y.-M. Wang, and N.R. Sheeley Jr., Heliospheric magnetic field strength and polarity from 1 to 81 AU during the ascending phase of solar cycle 23, J. Geophys. Res., 107 (A11), 1410, 2002. Ness, N., K.W. Behannon, R. Lepping, and K.H. Schatten, J. Geophys. Res., 76, 3564, 1971. Ness et al., 1973. Coordinate Systems: Interplanetary magnetic field studies make use of two important coordinate systems, the Heliographic Inertial (HGI) coordinate system and the Heliographic (HG) coordinate system. The HGI coordinate system is use to define the spacecraft's position. The HGI system is defined with its origin at the Sun. There are three orthogonal axes, X(HGI), Y(HGI), and Z(HGI). The Z(HGI) axis points northward along the Sun's spin axis. The X(HGI)-Y(HGI) plane lays in the solar equatorial plane. The intersection of the solar equatorial plane with the ecliptic plane defines a line, the longitude of the ascending node, which is taken to be the X(HGI) axis. The X(HGI) axis drifts slowly with time, approximately one degree per 72 years. Magnetic field orientation is defined in relation to the spacecraft. Drawing a line from the Sun's center, the HGI origin, to the spacecraft defines the X axis of the HG coordinate system. The HG coordinate system is defined with its origin centered at the spacecraft. Three orthogonal axes are defined, X(HG), Y(HG), and Z(HG). The X(HG) axis points radially away from the Sun and the Y(HG) axis is parallel to the solar equatorial plane and therefore parallel to the X(HGI)-Y(HGI) plane too. The Z(HG) axis is chosen to complete the orthonormal triad. An excellent reference guide with diagrams explaining the HGI and HG systems may be found in L. F. Burlaga, MHD Processes in the Outer Heliosphere, Space and Science Reviews, 39, 255-316. Support data calib_flag_on, calib_flag_MF, and calib_flag_offset are added to file version 2. Variable calib_flag_on consists of points where bit 4 or 5 in variable magStatus equal 1. Variable calib_flag_MF represents observations where magnetometer was in cailbration mode. Variable calib_flag_offset represent delay between data points when the magnetometer was in calibration mode and data points where magStatus variable indicated calibration periods. Due to specific shape of magnetometer data profile variable calibration_flag_MF may cover larger intervals than calibration_flag_on.

Tags: magneticfield
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration