Voyager 1 Saturn Plasma Ion Moments, 96-Second Resolution

NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft collected plasma data during its Saturn encounter. This dataset contains derived ion moment density estimates within the 10-5950 eV/Q energy range, presented at 96-second intervals. The data was analyzed and published by Lazarus and McNutt in 1983.

Use Cases

• Analyzing plasma density variations in Saturn's magnetosphere based on the 96-second resolution data
• Studying ion behavior within the 10-5950 eV/Q energy range described in the dataset
• Comparing derived density estimates with other models or datasets, as referenced in the Lazarus and McNutt (1983) publication
• Investigating assumptions of rigid corotation and their impact on density estimates in specific regions

Strengths

• Data originates from the NASA Voyager 1 mission, a primary source for Saturn encounter science
• Specific energy range (10-5950 eV/Q) is defined for the plasma measurements
• Data resolution is specified as 96-second intervals
• Analysis is documented in a peer-reviewed publication (Lazarus and McNutt, 1983)

Limitations

• The description notes densities may be underestimated by a factor of 2-3 in the inner magnetosphere due to modeling assumptions
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Derived from Plasma Science (PLS) instrument measurements on the Voyager 1 spacecraft.

Time Range

During the Voyager 1 Saturn encounter.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 05:07:49.326260; freshness should be verified

Geography

Saturn's magnetosphere.