MMS 2: Magnetospheric Multiscale Spacecraft Position and Magnetic Field Data

Magnetospheric Multiscale 2 (MMS 2) spacecraft data includes position, velocity, attitude, and magnetic ephemeris calculated using the Tsyganenko 1989 model for quiet conditions. The Level-2 science product provides 30-second resolution data on magnetic field lines, footpoints, L-shell, magnetic local time, and activity indices like Dst and Kp. This dataset is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Model magnetospheric field line geometry based on the Tsyganenko 1989 model and provided footpoint coordinates.
• Correlate spacecraft location with geomagnetic activity using the included Dst and Kp indices.
• Transform spacecraft coordinates between systems like GEI, GSE, and SM using the provided rotational quaternions.
• Analyze the magnetic connectivity of spacecraft orbits using flags for open or closed field lines.

Strengths

• Data is calculated using a specific, documented magnetic field model (Tsyganenko 1989) for quiet conditions.
• Includes multiple derived geophysical variables like L-shell, magnetic local time, and loss cone angles.
• Provides coordinate transformation quaternions for 6 different coordinate systems.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is modeled for 'quiet' magnetospheric conditions, which may not represent active periods.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by the MMS 2 spacecraft and processed into Level-2 science data.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 06:24:28.051546; freshness should be verified.

Geography

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