ACE Spacecraft Magnetic Field Measurements Averaged Over Multiple Time Periods

Magnetic field vector data from the twin fluxgate magnetometers aboard NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. Measurements are averaged over 16-second, 4-minute, hourly, daily, and 27-day (Bartels Rotation) periods. The instrument was developed and operated by SCIOPS.

Use Cases

• Analyze solar wind magnetic field vector trends using the 27-day Bartels Rotation averages.
• Study high-temporal-resolution phenomena with the 16-second averaged magnetic field data.
• Correlate magnetic field fluctuations from the twin sensors mounted on opposite booms.
• Model the periodic structure of the interplanetary magnetic field using the hourly and daily averages.

Strengths

• Data provides six magnetic field vector measurements per second.
• Averaged data is organized into consistent 27-day solar rotation periods.
• Instrument design includes onboard snapshot and FFT buffers for enhanced high-frequency resolution.

Limitations

• Specific row count, file size, and temporal coverage range are unknown.
• Data granularity is reduced to averages; raw high-frequency measurements are not directly provided in Level 2.

Provenance

Source

NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) Magnetic Field Experiment (MAG).

Collection Method

Collected by twin vector fluxgate magnetometers mounted on booms 4.19 meters from the spacecraft center.

Time Range

Data organized into Bartels Rotations (27-day periods), but specific start and end dates are unknown.

Geography

Interplanetary space at the ACE spacecraft's location, typically near the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point.