Cluster-Salsa WBD: High-Resolution Plasma Wave Data from Four Satellites

Cluster-Salsa Wideband Data (WBD) provides high time resolution calibrated waveform data from plasma wave receivers on four Cluster satellites (Rumba, Salsa, Samba, Tango). The data, sampled in one of three frequency bands up to 577 kHz, includes electric and magnetic field measurements, instrument mode, data quality, and orientation angles. The dataset is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze wave modes and frequencies based on calibrated electric and magnetic field data in three filter bandwidths (9.5, 19, 77 kHz).
• Study wave propagation and polarization based on orientation angles relative to the magnetic field and GSE coordinate system.
• Investigate specific plasma wave phenomena (e.g., chorus, hiss, kilometric radiation) using high-resolution time-domain sampling down to 4.6 microseconds.
• Correlate instrument operating modes and data quality flags with observed wave events for data validation.

Strengths

• Data is collected from four distinct spacecraft, providing multi-point measurements for spatial analysis.
• High time resolution, with sampling as fast as 4.6 microseconds in the time domain for the 77 kHz bandwidth mode.
• Includes calibrated values for both electric and magnetic fields, along with critical orientation metadata.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data availability depends on specific ground station telemetry downlink times, which may create gaps.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for large-scale statistical analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data gathered by Wideband Data (WBD) Plasma Wave Receivers on the four Cluster satellites.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 11:06:32.800260; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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