Ulysses SWOOPS: Alpha Particle Plasma Moments from Solar Polar Orbit

Alpha particle plasma moments derived from distribution functions measured by the Ulysses spacecraft SWOOPS instrument. The data begins at Day 322, 00:59 of 1990, with spacecraft nutation affecting certain measurements until Day 351, 22:00, 1990. The dataset was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Use Cases

• Analyze solar wind bulk speed and density during spacecraft nutation periods based on the description's reliability note.
• Study alpha particle distribution functions using deconvolved moments based on magnetic field values.
• Investigate plasma velocity components in inertial RTN coordinates based on the coordinate system described.
• Model solar wind deflection on small scales based on the caveat regarding large-scale deflection studies.

Strengths

• Data provides scientifically useful measurements starting at a specific time: Day 322, 00:59 of 1990.
• Clear reliability guidelines are provided: bulk speed and density are reliable during nutation, while individual velocity components and temperatures are invalid.
• The dataset is produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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 description notes small systematic uncertainties in velocity components due to instrument alignment, angular bins, and channeltrons.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Observations from the SWOOPS instrument on the Ulysses spacecraft.

Time Range

Data begins at Day 322, 00:59 of 1990.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:27:05.235586; freshness should be verified.