Voyager 1 PWS: Jupiter Plasma Wave Densities at 1-Second Resolution

From March 1 to March 21, 1979, this dataset provides 1-second resolution measurements of electron plasma densities and related wave frequencies from the Voyager 1 spacecraft's Jupiter flyby. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) produced the data by applying cold plasma theory equations to high-resolution wideband spectra captured by the Plasma Wave Science instrument. Each record includes time, magnetic field strength, calculated frequencies, electron density, and spacecraft position coordinates.

Use Cases

• Modeling Jupiter's magnetospheric plasma environment based on in-situ electron density measurements.
• Analyzing the correlation between magnetic field strength and plasma wave frequencies mentioned in the description.
• Studying temporal dynamics of plasma parameters during a spacecraft flyby at 1-second resolution.
• Validating cold plasma theory calculations using the measured cutoff and resonance frequencies.

Strengths

• High temporal resolution with data points recorded every second.
• Includes multiple derived plasma parameters (e.g., electron cyclotron frequency, upper hybrid resonance) alongside the core density measurements.
• Covers a specific, well-documented 20-day event during the Voyager 1 Jupiter flyby.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect temporal bias inherent to the single flyby event from 1979.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from Voyager 1 Plasma Wave Science (PWS) waveform receiver samples, with frequencies measured via a semi-automated algorithm and densities calculated using cold plasma theory equations.

Time Range

1979-03-01T19:58:22.500Z to 1979-03-21T14:25:32.500Z

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03 13 07:56:01.783853; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Trajectory of the Voyager 1 spacecraft during its Jupiter flyby.