Parker Solar Probe FIELDS DFB: Low-Frequency Differential Voltage Waveforms

Level 2 calibrated differential voltage and magnetic field waveform data from the Parker Solar Probe's FIELDS instrument, collected during solar encounters within 0.25 AU. The data, provided by NASA, includes calibrations for in-band gain and filter responses but not for digital filter gain or plasma sheath effects. Measurements are expressed in Volts and nanoTeslas, with a typical cadence of 256 samples per Nyquist second during close solar approaches.

Use Cases

• Analyzing spectral slopes and high-frequency features in electromagnetic waves based on the described calibration considerations.
• Studying solar wind and coronal plasma dynamics based on low-frequency (<75 kHz) differential voltage and magnetic field time series.
• Calibrating and validating instrument responses using the provided convolution kernel for the digital filter gain.
• Comparing spacecraft and sensor coordinate data (e.g., x,y,z vs. dV12, dV34, u,v,w) for coordinate transformation studies.

Strengths

• Data is calibrated for DFB in-band gain, analog filter response, and search coil preamplifier gain and phase.
• Includes a convolution kernel for the digital filter gain response, allowing for user application.
• Provides references to peer-reviewed publications detailing the FIELDS experiment and the DFB instrument.

Limitations

• Digital filter gain response calibration is not applied, which may affect high-frequency spectral analysis.
• Corrections for plasma sheath impedance and antenna effective length are not applied, reserved for Level 3 products.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by the Digital Fields Board (DFB) component of the FIELDS experiment on the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft.

Time Range

During solar encounters (within 0.25 AU of the Sun).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 08:02:39.289893; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Space, specifically the trajectory of the Parker Solar Probe.