Polar EFI: Spacecraft Potential and Plasma Density at Burst Resolution

POLAR Hydra particle data from 2001/04/01 was used to derive a function for plasma density from spacecraft potential. The relative accuracy of the plasma density is estimated at 10-30% on short time scales, with absolute accuracy better than a factor of two for densities below 20 particles/cm³. This data from NASA's Polar mission provides burst-resolution measurements of electric fields and plasma conditions.

Use Cases

• Modeling magnetospheric plasma density based on spacecraft potential measurements.
• Analyzing short-timescale plasma condition variability based on the 10-30% relative accuracy estimate.
• Calibrating or validating other plasma instruments using the derived density function.
• Studying spacecraft charging effects in different plasma environments.

Strengths

• Provides a derived plasma density function based on a fit to POLAR Hydra particle data from a specific date (2001/04/01).
• Describes specific accuracy bounds: relative accuracy of 10-30% and absolute accuracy better than a factor of two for densities <20 particles/cm³.
• Explicit filler value logic (1.0e+20, 1.0e-20) for identifying unreliable density estimates.

Limitations

• Density values greater than 30 particles/cm³ are noted as inaccurate and not plotted.
• 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 (NASA)

Collection Method

Derived from POLAR Hydra particle instrument data, with a function provided by Dr. Jack Scudder, the PI.

Time Range

Data from the Polar mission; specific function derived from 2001/04/01.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:29:02.117971; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Space-based measurements from the Polar spacecraft orbit.