Voyager 2 LECP Data: Saturn Encounter Charged Particle Measurements

Resampled electron and ion data from the Voyager 2 Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP) experiment during its Saturn encounter. The dataset includes a subset of almost 100 instrument channels, with intensities time-averaged to approximately 15-minute intervals. It was produced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyzing charged particle anisotropies based on the eight-sector angular scanning mechanism described.
• Studying the energy spectra of ions and electrons based on the calibrated channel bandpasses mentioned.
• Investigating background contamination in space particle measurements based on the Sector 8 calibration shield procedure.
• Modeling the Saturnian magnetospheric environment based on in-situ particle intensity data.

Strengths

• Data is globally calibrated to the extent possible, as stated in the description.
• Full angular anisotropy information is preserved due to a rotation cycle faster than the 15-minute averaging period.
• Includes a subset of almost 100 distinct LECP instrument channels for analysis.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Conversion from 'Rate' to 'Intensity' requires manual determination of mass species and background levels.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Measurements from the Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP) instrument on the Voyager 2 spacecraft.

Time Range

During the Voyager 2 spacecraft's encounter with Saturn.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 14:31:54.179940; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Space, specifically the vicinity of the planet Saturn.