Parker Solar Probe FIELDS: Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Spectra from SCM

Level 2 calibrated spectral data from the Parker Solar Probe's FIELDS instrument, measuring low-frequency (<75 kHz) magnetic fields. The data consists of power spectral densities as a function of frequency and time, calibrated for instrument gain and filter responses, and is expressed in sensor coordinates. Data is provided by NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission.

Use Cases

• Analyzing solar wind turbulence spectra based on calibrated power spectral densities.
• Studying low-frequency (<75 kHz) magnetic field fluctuations near the Sun based on search coil magnetometer data.
• Modeling plasma sheath and antenna effects by comparing Level 2 and future Level 3 data products.
• Investigating coordinate system transformations for magnetic field vectors based on the provided rotation matrix.

Strengths

• Data is calibrated for six specific instrument responses, including Hanning window, in-band gain, and filter responses.
• Provides a specific rotation matrix for converting between coordinate systems used in different solar orbits.
• Spectral data has pseudo-logarithmically spaced frequency bins with reported central frequencies.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description notes a non-physical power trend at high frequencies when signals are noise-dominated.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

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 data characteristics for orbits 1-2 and orbits 3+.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 08:01:31.381257; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Interplanetary space, specifically along the Parker Solar Probe's trajectory near the Sun.