MMS 2 SCM: AC Magnetic Field Waveforms at 16384 Samples per Second

Tri-axial Search-Coil Magnetometer data from the MMS mission measures three-dimensional AC magnetic field fluctuations in nanoTesla within the GSE frame. The instrument operates in survey mode and acquires high-speed burst mode data at 16384 samples per second within scientific Regions of Interest. NASA provides this Level 2 data product, which was last updated on 2026-03-13.

Use Cases

• Analyze magnetic wave spectra and turbulence based on the high-resolution 16384 Hz AC magnetic field waveforms.
• Study plasma wave modes and their propagation based on the three-dimensional magnetic field fluctuations.
• Validate and calibrate magnetospheric models based on the in-situ, calibrated measurements from the MMS satellite.
• Investigate magnetic reconnection events based on high-speed burst mode data captured in scientific Regions of Interest.

Strengths

• Data is calibrated, with pre-launch calibration performed at the National Magnetic Observatory and an onboard calibration signal check performed once per orbit.
• Provides high temporal resolution AC magnetic field waveforms at 16384 samples per second.
• Instrument paper and a dedicated data product guide are available for detailed technical and usage reference.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is provided in a BIN format, which may require specialized tools for access and processing.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Measured by the tri-axial Search-Coil Magnetometer on the MMS 2 satellite, digitized and processed by an onboard Digital Signal Processor, and collected by the Central Instrument Data Processor.

Time Range

Covers the operational period of the MMS mission within its orbit.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 06:20:50.441530; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Data is collected in space, specifically within Earth's magnetosphere and scientific Regions of Interest.