Parker Solar Probe: Radio Frequency Spectra from the Sun's Vicinity

Radio frequency spectra from the Parker Solar Probe's FIELDS instrument, measuring electromagnetic waves in the solar wind. The dataset contains calibrated auto and cross spectral data from the Low Frequency Receiver (10.5 kHz to 1.7 MHz) and High Frequency Receiver (1.3 MHz to 19.2 MHz) in 64 frequency bins. Data is provided by NASA with two cadences: 7-second during solar encounters within 0.25 AU and 56-second during cruise phases.

Use Cases

• Analyzing plasma frequency dynamics based on the 32 finely spaced frequency bins in LFR high-resolution spectra.
• Studying solar wind radio emissions and turbulence across two distinct frequency ranges (LFR and HFR).
• Investigating temporal variations in wave spectra using the 7-second and 56-second cadence data from different mission modes.
• Calibrating and validating instrument models using the described preamp, PFB, and FFT processing corrections.

Strengths

• Data is calibrated for instrument response up to Level 2, as described in reference [3].
• Provides high temporal resolution (7-second cadence) during solar encounters within 0.25 AU.
• Covers a broad radio frequency range from 10.5 kHz to 19.2 MHz across two receivers.

Limitations

• Corrections for base capacitance and antenna effective length are not applied; these are reserved for Level 3 data.
• 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

Collected by the Radio Frequency Spectrometer (RFS) component of the FIELDS experiment on the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft.

Time Range

Covers the Parker Solar Probe mission timeline, with data modes tied to solar distance.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:46:01.610917; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Data is collected in space, specifically in the vicinity of the Sun and in the solar wind.