PSP FIELDS DFB: Parker Solar Probe Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Spectra

NASA's Parker Solar Probe FIELDS experiment provides calibrated low-frequency magnetic field spectral data. The Level 2 data products contain power spectral densities as a function of frequency and time, calibrated for instrument gain and filter responses, with a typical cadence of 30 seconds during solar encounters. Data are expressed in sensor coordinates and units of nanoTesla squared per Hertz.

Use Cases

• Analyzing solar wind turbulence spectra based on calibrated power spectral densities.
• Studying low-frequency electromagnetic wave propagation based on time-series magnetic field data.
• Modeling instrument response effects on spectral slopes based on the described calibration chain.
• Transforming magnetic field vector coordinates for orbits 1 and 2 based on the provided rotation matrix.

Strengths

• Data is calibrated for multiple instrument responses including Hanning window, in-band gain, and filter responses.
• Provides a specific rotation matrix for coordinate transformation for solar orbits 1 and 2.
• Describes a typical high-cadence data collection rate of 30 seconds during solar encounters.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description notes a non-physical positively sloped power trend at high frequencies due to digital filter compensation.

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

Covers solar orbits, with specific coordinate systems noted for orbits 1-2 and 3+.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:47:51.542358; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Data collected in proximity to the Sun, specifically within 0.25 AU during encounters.