Wind SWE: Electron Pitch Angle Distribution Averaged Over 16 Energy Channels

Wind Solar Wind Experiment averaged electron pitch angle distribution data provides averaged electron phase-space density measurements from the Wind spacecraft's SWE instrument. The dataset includes averages for parallel, perpendicular, anti-parallel, and omnidirectional fluxes across 16 energy channels ranging from about 10 eV to 3 keV. NASA produced this data, which was last updated on March 13, 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze electron anisotropy in the solar wind based on averaged pitch-angle distributions (f_para, f_perp, f_anti, f_omni)
• Study electron energy spectra and flux variations based on 16 time-varying electron speed (V) channels
• Model electron pitch-angle scattering and transport processes based on gyrotropic assumptions and angular weighting described
• Validate spacecraft instrument measurements against theoretical models using the cited Ogilvie et al. 1995 reference

Strengths

• Data is derived from the Wind/SWE electron instrument, a well-documented plasma instrument described in a peer-reviewed publication
• Provides averaged electron phase-space density across four distinct directional regions (parallel, perpendicular, anti-parallel, omnidirectional)
• Includes measurements across 16 energy channels covering a range from about 10 eV to 3 keV

Limitations

• The PI advises caution and discussion with the SWE science team before publishing interpretations
• 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 integrating electron pitch-angle distributions measured by the Wind/SWE electron instrument

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 13:08:02.289088