PSP SWEAP SPAN-A: Alpha Particle Partial Moments from Parker Solar Probe

PSP Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) SPAN-A Alpha Particle Distribution Function, Partial Moments, Instrument Frame, Level 3 (L3), 14 s Data contains measurements of partial moments of the alpha particle distribution function in the instrument frame of reference. The data is produced by the Parker Solar Probe SWEAP team led by J. Kasper and hosted by NASA. The dataset was last updated on March 13, 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze alpha particle partial moments based on the distribution function measurements.
• Study solar wind plasma composition based on the alpha particle data.
• Model solar wind dynamics based on instrument-frame partial moment data.
• Validate plasma physics simulations based on Parker Solar Probe observations.

Strengths

• Data originates from the Parker Solar Probe mission, a primary NASA heliophysics observatory.
• Provides Level 3 processed data with a 14-second cadence.
• Includes specific caveats and usage guidelines via the mission's 'Rules of the Road'.

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• The full ion distribution is typically not in the field of view of the SPAN Ion instrument, as noted in the description.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measured by the SWEAP SPAN-A instrument on the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:42:11.422927; freshness should be verified.