FAST Satellite Auroral Particle and Field Measurements

NASA's Fast Auroral SnapshoT (FAST) satellite data archive contains measurements of Earth's auroral regions. The spacecraft, launched in 1996, collects high-resolution snapshots of electric and magnetic fields, plasma waves, energetic electrons and ions, and thermal plasma. Data collection is controlled by an intelligent system that adjusts sample rates based on detected events.

Use Cases

• Analyze correlations between electric field data and energetic electron flux to study auroral acceleration mechanisms.
• Use ion mass composition measurements from the TEAMS instrument to investigate the sources of plasma in the auroral zone.
• Study the temporal evolution of density cavities by examining high-resolution burst mode data triggered by specific events.
• Model the spatial structure of the auroral oval using geolocated measurements of electron energy flux and auroral kilometric radiation.
• Investigate the triggers for spacecraft mode changes by analyzing the eight onboard event detection algorithms and their associated data.

Strengths

• Data collection spans from the satellite's launch in 1996, providing a long-term record of auroral activity.
• The intelligent data collection system captures high-resolution 'burst' and 'high-speed burst memory' data for scientifically interesting events.
• Instruments provide multi-faceted measurements including fields, waves, and particle composition from a dedicated auroral satellite.

Limitations

• The dataset's specific volume, row count, and exact temporal coverage after the initial years are not provided.
• Data collection is limited to snapshots within the auroral zones, not providing continuous global coverage.
• The raw description does not specify data formats, column structures, or accessibility details for direct analysis.

Provenance

Source

NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) Program, Mission & Science Operations Center at Berkeley, CA.

Collection Method

Data collected by satellite instruments (ESA, Electric Field Sensors, TEAMS, magnetometers), stored on a solid-state recorder, and telemetered to ground stations.

Time Range

Mission launched August 21, 1996; data collection ongoing from that date.

Geography

Measurements taken from a highly elliptical orbit crossing Earth's auroral zones centered on the poles.