PSP Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) SPC Ion Charge Flux Distributions, Electrical Current versus Time and Energy-per-Charge, Level 2 (L2), 0.2185 s Data

SPC Level 2 Ion Data\n--------------------\n\nFile Naming Format: psp_swp_spc_l2i_yyyymmdd_v01.cdf\n\nSolar Probe Cup, SPC, charge flux distributions comprise electrical current as a function of time and energy-per-charge, with appropriate instrument response elements considered and calibrations applied. This data product contains measurements of ion flux as a function of energy organized into spectra. The SPC instrument measures one-dimensional distributions with a wide field of view. Please refer to the instrument paper for details.\n\nThis data set covers all periods for which the instrument was turned on and taking data in the solar wind in ion mode. This includes maneuvers affecting the spacecraft attitude and orientation.\n\nThe MODE_FLAG variable contains information about the type of spectrum being measured. "Ion Full Scan" spectra are marked with MODE_FLAG.DAT = 1. These spectra comprise a broad energy range typically with lower signal-to-noise than the more frequent "Ion Peak Tracking" spectra, which are marked with MODE_FLAG.DAT equal to zero. In the most frequent operating mode, ion full scans are executed about once every 30 s or whenever the peak signal from the solar wind is poorly defined.\n\nSPC Encounter 1 Remarks\n-----------------------\n\nData quality is very good for the duration of the encounter. The solar wind flow was within the optimal field of view for the SPC instrument for nearly the entire encounter. See the data flags for specific exceptions. As with all encounters, signal-to-noise is higher during ingress than egress, which is reflected in the typically smaller uncertainties and less frequent "primary peak low signal" flag events.\n\nSPC Cruise Phase Remarks\n------------------------\n\nMeasurements recorded during cruise phase are not all transmitted to Earth. The typical return is one spectrum out of every 32.\n\nSPC Encounter 2 Remarks\n-----------------------\n\nDue to an erroneous setting in the operating mode for this encounter, ion full scan spectra and certain spectra immediately following ion full scans are of reduced quality. In the affected full scan spectra, the energy steps over an initial portion of the measurement spectra have zero width, i.e. the Level 2 ion variables MV_LO.DAT = MV_HI.DAT, and the corresponding measurements are purely noise. In some cases, this results in a poor determination of the proton "primary peak" energy, which renders additional subsequent full scans that follow subject to the same incompleteness. In other cases, the energy range for the subsequent "ion peak tracking mode" scan is not ideal. The affected Level 3 ion measurements have been flagged with DQF.DAT[22]=1, which stands for "energy ranging/peak tracking error" and/or set to fill. The operating mode has been revised such that future encounters will not be so affected.\n\nParker Solar Probe SWEAP Rules of the Road\n------------------------------------------\n\nAs part of the development of collaboration with the broader Heliophysics community, the mission has drafted a "Rules of the Road" to govern how PSP instrument data are to be used.\n\n* 1) Users should consult with the PI to discuss the appropriate use of instrument data or model results and to ensure that the users are accessing the most recently available versions of the data and of the analysis routines. Instrument team Science Operations Centers, SOCs, and/or Virtual Observatories, VOs, should facilitate this process serving as the contact point between PI and users in most cases.\n\n* 2) Users should heed the caveats of investigators to the interpretations and limitations of data or model results. Investigators supplying data or models may insist that such caveats be published. Data and model version numbers should also be specified.\n\n* 3) Browse products, Quicklook, and Planning data are not intended for science analysis or publication and should not be used for those purposes without consent of the PI.\n\n* 4) Users should acknowledge the sources of data used in all publications, presentations, and reports: "We acknowledge the NASA Parker Solar Probe Mission and the SWEAP team led by J. Kasper for use of data.".\n\n* 5) Users are encouraged to provide the PI a copy of each manuscript that uses the PI data prior to submission of that manuscript for consideration of publication. On publication, the citation should be transmitted to the PI and any other providers of data.

Tags: instrumentstatus, thermalplasma
Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration