Voyager 1 Plasma Wave Electric Field Spectra, 1-Hour Averages from 1977 Launch

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft collected electric field spectrum analyzer data from its Plasma Wave Subsystem throughout its mission, traveling from Earth to beyond 100 AU. The dataset contains 1-hour average and peak wave electric field intensities across sixteen spectrum analyzer channels, covering cruise phases and planetary encounters at Jupiter and Saturn. Data collection spans from the 1977 launch, with key events like bow shock crossings and heliospheric radio events documented up to at least 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyzing plasma wave intensity variations based on 1-hour averaged electric field measurements across sixteen frequency channels.
• Studying the structure of planetary magnetospheres based on data from Voyager 1's Jupiter and Saturn bow shock crossings.
• Investigating long-term heliospheric radio events and the termination shock based on the mission timeline spanning decades.
• Modeling the evolution of the solar wind plasma environment based on measurements taken from Earth to beyond 100 AU.

Strengths

• Data spans the entire Voyager 1 mission from its 1977 launch, providing a multi-decade time series.
• Includes key heliospheric events like the termination shock crossing and three major low-frequency radio events.
• Measurements cover both planetary encounter phases (Jupiter, Saturn) and extended cruise phases in interplanetary space.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for specific analytical tasks.
• Data after 2013-12-31 is noted for future addition, indicating the current archive may not be complete to the present.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measurements from the Voyager 1 Plasma Wave Subsystem (PWS) Spectrum Analyzer, resampled into 1-hour averages.

Time Range

1977-09 05 (Launch) to at least 2015-01-01 (130 AU), with data post-2013 slated for future addition.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 07:57:01.208895; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Trajectory from Earth through the solar system, including Jupiter and Saturn encounters, to beyond 100 AU in the heliosphere and interstellar medium.