Cluster-Samba WBD: High-Resolution Plasma Waveform Data from Four Satellites

Cluster-Samba Wideband Data (WBD) provides high time resolution calibrated waveform data from plasma wave receivers on four Cluster satellites. The data, from NASA, includes electric and magnetic field measurements in three frequency bands up to 577 kHz, with time resolution as high as 4.6 microseconds. The dataset also contains instrument mode, data quality flags, and orientation angles.

Use Cases

• Analyze wave modes like chorus or hiss based on high-resolution electric and magnetic field waveforms.
• Study wave propagation and polarization using the provided orientation angles relative to the magnetic field and GSE coordinate system.
• Investigate frequency band characteristics based on the three available filter bandwidth modes (9.5, 19, or 77 kHz).
• Correlate wave activity with spacecraft position and time using the high-time-resolution sampling.

Strengths

• Data from four distinct satellites (Cluster 1-4) provides multi-point measurements.
• High time resolution, with sampling as fast as 4.6 microseconds in the time domain.
• Includes calibrated electric field (from EFW antennas) and magnetic field (from STAFF search coils) data.
• Covers three selectable frequency bandwidth modes in the range 0-577 kHz.

Limitations

• Data availability depends on specific ground station telemetry downlink times.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and total dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), University of Iowa Cluster WBD web site.

Collection Method

Collected by Wideband Data (WBD) Plasma Wave Receivers on the four Cluster spacecraft.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 11:05:02.175462; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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