PVO VENUS ONMS: Superthermal Oxygen Ion Flux and Density Measurements

NASA's Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) ONMS instrument detected superthermal oxygen ions with energies exceeding 36 eV. Data points represent successful fits from orbit numbers 1 to 645 (RPA mode) and above 923 (non-RPA mode), with flux and density values derived from instrument readings. The dataset was last updated on 2026-03-13.

Use Cases

• Modeling Venus's ionospheric composition based on superthermal oxygen ion detections.
• Analyzing temporal variability of energetic ions based on orbit-specific measurement modes (RPA vs. non-RPA).
• Studying the correlation between spacecraft altitude and superthermal ion signatures mentioned in the description.
• Calibrating instrument response for mass 16 (oxygen) using the specified RPA voltage of about +3.8 volts.

Strengths

• Data originates from NASA's Pioneer Venus Orbiter mission, a primary source for Venus science.
• Describes a specific detection threshold for ions with energy exceeding 36 eV.
• Documents distinct operational modes (RPA and non-RPA) for different orbit ranges, affecting background signal.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Measurements from the ONMS (Orbiter Neutral Mass Spectrometer) instrument on the Pioneer Venus Orbiter.

Time Range

Covers data from early orbits, specifically orbit numbers 1 to 645 and above 923.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 03:38:46.575527; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Venus orbit, with measurements taken near periapsis.