MMS 3 Magnetic Ephemeris and Coordinates (MEC) with Tsyganenko 1989 Model

MMS 3 spacecraft data includes magnetic field measurements, footpoint tracing, and coordinate transformations. The dataset uses the Tsyganenko 1989 magnetic field model for quiet magnetospheric conditions. National Aeronautics and Space Administration produced this Level-2 science data with a 30-second time resolution.

Use Cases

• Model magnetospheric field lines based on Tsyganenko 1989 magnetic field model parameters.
• Calculate spacecraft L-shell and magnetic local time based on provided magnetic latitude and longitude.
• Trace northern and southern hemisphere footpoints based on magnetic field line threading.
• Transform coordinates between GEI and systems like BSC, GEO, GSE, and SM using rotational quaternions.
• Correlate spacecraft data with geomagnetic activity using ancillary variables like Dst and Kp indices.

Strengths

• Data includes magnetic field strength at footpoints and minimum magnetic field strength along the field line.
• Variables denote whether the threading field line is open or closed.
• Ancillary variables include the dipole tilt angle and satellite eclipse flags for Earth and Moon.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Calculated using the Tsyganenko 1989 magnetic field model for quiet magnetospheric conditions.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 08:46:12.834046; freshness should be verified.