MMS Fast Plasma Investigation: Ion Distribution Moments at 4.5 s Resolution

Fast survey mode data at 4.5-second resolution from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission's Fast Plasma Instrument. The dataset contains integrated moments of phase space distributions for ions, produced by NASA. Data collection is planned around calibration activities and avoidance of Earth's radiation belts.

Use Cases

• Analyze plasma bulk properties based on integrated moments of phase space distributions.
• Study magnetospheric dynamics based on fast survey mode data collected in the mission's region of interest.
• Compare plasma behavior based on data from different instrument modes (fast survey vs. slow survey).
• Investigate instrument state and calibration effects based on included annotation parameters.

Strengths

• Data is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
• Provides fast survey mode data at a specific 4.5-second resolution.
• Includes additional annotation parameters characterizing the instrument system state.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data files are in BIN format, which may require specialized tools for analysis.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Data aggregated onboard the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft from the Fast Plasma Instrument.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 08:43:35.438477; freshness should be verified.