Data Description

This page summarizes information about the selected resource and its origin based on SPASE metadata.

Table of Contents

  1. Product
  2. Repository
  3. Instrument
  4. Observatory
  5. Persons

SPASE version 2.0.0

Numerical Data Product: Polar TIMAS K1 Key Parameter data

Resource ID
spase://VMO/NumericalData/POLAR/TIMAS/K1_PT96S Get XML
Name
Polar TIMAS K1 Key Parameter data
Description

H+, O+, He+ and He++ number fluxes for survey purposes only

Reference:E.G. Shelley et al., The Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS) for the Polar Mission, Sp. Sci. Rev, Vol 71, pp 497-530, 1995.

Version 0: June, 2001

Additional information
TIMAS Home Page
TIMAS PAPCO Module

A PAPCO module for reading and displaying TIMAS (and other POLAR) data.

PAPCO Software

PaPCo is IDL software for data visualization and analysis. It is modular, PaPCo modules built by various institutions and individuals plug into PaPCo core to provide data products. These modules provide graphic panels that are stacked on a time axis. About 60 modules exist, and 30 are supported as “core modules” that come with PaPCo. There are modules from 15+ spacecraft, including CRRES, Polar, Cassini and Cluster. Data from CDAWeb is plottable as well. The software is open-source, making it very flexible and well-suited for science use.

Contact
Role Person
1. Principal investigator Dr. W. K. Peterson Get XML
Release date
2009-05-20 23:06:12
Repository
Name
CDAWeb Data Repository FTP Interface Get XML
Availability
Online
Access rights
Open
URL
ftp://cdaweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/istp/polar/timas_k1

FTP repository of Polar TIMAS key parameter data in CDF format at CDAWeb

Format
CDF
Processing level
Calibrated
Provider processing level
Level 1
Provider version
v_01
Instrument
Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS) Get XML
Measurement type
Energetic particles
Ion composition
Spectrum
Thermal plasma
Temporal description
Start date
1999-06-01 00:00:00
Stop date
2008-04-17 00:00:00
Cadence
1 minute 36 seconds
Observed regions
Earth.Magnetosphere
Earth.Magnetosphere.Polar
Earth.Magnetosphere.RadiationBelt
Caveats

On December 8, 1998 the TIMAS instrument had a high voltage breakdown that resulted in a loss of sensitivity at energies above 700 eV/q and non linear response to ion fluxes at energies below 700 eV/q. The data from the two lowest energy channels in this data set (430 and 585 eV respectively) should be used with caution. Prior to the breakdown, the TIMAS H0 data product provides higher time resolution data in the full energy and angular range.

The K1 data are averaged over time (96 seconds) and angle (nearly the full 4 pi), so narrow angular and/or temporal features are not shown. Higher temporal and angular resolution data can be interactively generated at http://lasp.colorado.edu/timas/mrdf/

Keywords
Energetic Ion Mass-Energy Spectra
Omni-directional Number Flux
Three dimensional Angular Response
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Parameters

Parameter #1

Name
Epoch
Parameter key
Epoch
Description

NSSDC standard-reference time value (UT) at the center of the accumulation interval.

Units
ms
Conversion to SI units
1e-3>s
Valid minimum
01-Jun-1999 00:00:00.000
Valid maximum
17-Apr-2008 00:00:00.000
Fill value
-1.0E31
Parameter type
Temporal

Parameter #2

Name
H+ number flux
Parameter key
Flux_H
Description

H+ number flux integrated over all pitch angles; depends on 'Epoch' and 'energy'.

Units
#/(cm^2-s-keV/e-sr)
Structure
Size
18
Valid minimum
-0.0010
Valid maximum
1.0E9
Fill value
-1.0E31
Particle type
Proton
Quantity
Number flux
Qualifier
Differential
AtomicNumber
1
Energy range
Low energy
369.2
High energy
22449.1
Units
eV/e
Bins
Bin Band name Low energy High energy
1 Flux 430 eV/e 369.2 491.0
2 Flux 585 eV/e 508.1 661.5
3 Flux 795 eV/e 699.2 891.4
4 Flux 1.1 keV/e 962.1 1200.9
5 Flux 1.5 keV/e 1323.6 1617.8
6 Flux 2.0 keV/e 1820.8 2179.2
7 Flux 2.4 keV/e 2228.5 2647.5
8 Flux 3.0 keV/e 2733.1 3210.9
9 Flux 3.6 keV/e 3358.0 3887.8
10 Flux 4.4 keV/e 4119.7 4713.1
11 Flux 5.4 keV/e 5048.3 5718.9
12 Flux 6.6 keV/e 6180.2 6945.2
13 Flux 8.0 keV/e 7560.0 8440.0
14 Flux 9.8 keV/e 9242.0 10262.2
15 Flux 12 keV/e 11313.3 12462.7
16 Flux 15 keV/e 13823.7 15159.5
17 Flux 18 keV/e 16894.5 18436.3
18 Flux 21.5 keV/e 20619.7 22449.1

Parameter #3

Name
O+ number flux
Parameter key
Flux_O
Description

O+ number flux integrated over all pitch angles; depends on 'Epoch' and 'energy'.

Units
#/(cm^2-s-keV/e-sr)
Structure
Size
18
Valid minimum
-0.0010
Valid maximum
1.0E9
Fill value
-1.0E31
Particle type
Ion
Quantity
Number flux
Qualifier
Differential
AtomicNumber
8
Energy range
Low energy
369.2
High energy
22449.1
Units
eV/e
Bins
Bin Band name Low energy High energy
1 Flux 430 eV/e 369.2 491.0
2 Flux 585 eV/e 508.1 661.5
3 Flux 795 eV/e 699.2 891.4
4 Flux 1.1 keV/e 962.1 1200.9
5 Flux 1.5 keV/e 1323.6 1617.8
6 Flux 2.0 keV/e 1820.8 2179.2
7 Flux 2.4 keV/e 2228.5 2647.5
8 Flux 3.0 keV/e 2733.1 3210.9
9 Flux 3.6 keV/e 3358.0 3887.8
10 Flux 4.4 keV/e 4119.7 4713.1
11 Flux 5.4 keV/e 5048.3 5718.9
12 Flux 6.6 keV/e 6180.2 6945.2
13 Flux 8.0 keV/e 7560.0 8440.0
14 Flux 9.8 keV/e 9242.0 10262.2
15 Flux 12 keV/e 11313.3 12462.7
16 Flux 15 keV/e 13823.7 15159.5
17 Flux 18 keV/e 16894.5 18436.3
18 Flux 21.5 keV/e 20619.7 22449.1

Parameter #4

Name
He+ number flux
Parameter key
Flux_He_1
Description

He+ number flux integrated over all pitch angles; depends on 'Epoch' and 'energy'.

Units
#/(cm^2-s-keV/e-sr)
Structure
Size
18
Valid minimum
-0.01
Valid maximum
1.0E8
Fill value
-1.0E31
Particle type
Ion
Quantity
Number flux
Qualifier
Differential
AtomicNumber
2
Energy range
Low energy
369.2
High energy
22449.1
Units
eV/e
Bins
Bin Band name Low energy High energy
1 Flux 430 eV/e 369.2 491.0
2 Flux 585 eV/e 508.1 661.5
3 Flux 795 eV/e 699.2 891.4
4 Flux 1.1 keV/e 962.1 1200.9
5 Flux 1.5 keV/e 1323.6 1617.8
6 Flux 2.0 keV/e 1820.8 2179.2
7 Flux 2.4 keV/e 2228.5 2647.5
8 Flux 3.0 keV/e 2733.1 3210.9
9 Flux 3.6 keV/e 3358.0 3887.8
10 Flux 4.4 keV/e 4119.7 4713.1
11 Flux 5.4 keV/e 5048.3 5718.9
12 Flux 6.6 keV/e 6180.2 6945.2
13 Flux 8.0 keV/e 7560.0 8440.0
14 Flux 9.8 keV/e 9242.0 10262.2
15 Flux 12 keV/e 11313.3 12462.7
16 Flux 15 keV/e 13823.7 15159.5
17 Flux 18 keV/e 16894.5 18436.3
18 Flux 21.5 keV/e 20619.7 22449.1

Parameter #5

Name
He++ number flux
Parameter key
Flux_He_2
Description

He++ number flux integrated over all pitch angles; depends on 'Epoch' and 'energy'.

Units
#/(cm^2-s-keV/e-sr)
Structure
Size
18
Valid minimum
-0.01
Valid maximum
1.0E8
Fill value
-1.0E31
Particle type
Ion
Quantity
Number flux
Qualifier
Differential
AtomicNumber
2
Energy range
Low energy
369.2
High energy
22449.1
Units
eV/e
Bins
Bin Band name Low energy High energy
1 Flux 430 eV/e 369.2 491.0
2 Flux 585 eV/e 508.1 661.5
3 Flux 795 eV/e 699.2 891.4
4 Flux 1.1 keV/e 962.1 1200.9
5 Flux 1.5 keV/e 1323.6 1617.8
6 Flux 2.0 keV/e 1820.8 2179.2
7 Flux 2.4 keV/e 2228.5 2647.5
8 Flux 3.0 keV/e 2733.1 3210.9
9 Flux 3.6 keV/e 3358.0 3887.8
10 Flux 4.4 keV/e 4119.7 4713.1
11 Flux 5.4 keV/e 5048.3 5718.9
12 Flux 6.6 keV/e 6180.2 6945.2
13 Flux 8.0 keV/e 7560.0 8440.0
14 Flux 9.8 keV/e 9242.0 10262.2
15 Flux 12 keV/e 11313.3 12462.7
16 Flux 15 keV/e 13823.7 15159.5
17 Flux 18 keV/e 16894.5 18436.3
18 Flux 21.5 keV/e 20619.7 22449.1

Parameter #6

Name
Background counts
Parameter key
Bcr
Description

Total Background counts per spin

Units
Counts per spin
Valid minimum
0.0
Valid maximum
1.0E8
Fill value
-1.0E31
Parameter type
Other

Parameter #7

Name
Ion Energy
Parameter key
energy
Description

Energy bin values ABOVE space craft potential

Units
eV
Structure
Size
28
Valid minimum
300
Valid maximum
25000.0
Parameter type
Other
↑

SPASE version 2.0.0

Instrument: Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS)

Instrument ID
spase://SMWG/Instrument/POLAR/TIMAS Get XML
Name
Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS)
Alternate name
TIMAS
1996-013A-01
Description

This investigation onboard POLAR spacecraft utilizes a toroidal ion mass spectrograph (TIMS) to fulfill its objectives, which are to study (1) the properties, location, and morphology of the principal source region for the entry of solar wind plasma into the magnetosphere, i.e., the polar cusp; (2) the properties, location, and morphology of the principal source region for hot ionospheric plasma in the magnetosphere, i.e., the auroral acceleration region; (3) the details of the processes by which the source plasmas are injected into trapped orbits, with special emphasis on the mass dependence of these processes; (4) details of the processes by which relatively cool source plasmas are energized into hot plasma, with special emphasis on the mass dependence of these processes; and (5) the details of the processes by which the hot magnetospheric plasma are lost, for example through wave-particle scattering and charge exchange, with special emphasis on the mass dependence of these processes.

The Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS) instrument measures the full three-dimensional velocity distribution functions of all major magnetospheric ion species with one-half spin period time resolution. The TIMAS is a first order double focusing (angle and energy), imaging spectrograph that simultaneously measures all mass per charge components from 1 AMU/e to greater than 32 AMU/e over a nearly 360 degrees by 10 degree instantaneous field-of-view in 20 milliseconds. Mass per charge is dispersed radially on an anular microchannel plate detector and the azimuthal position on the detector is a map of the instantaneous 360 degrees field of view. With the rotation of the spacecraft, the TIMAS sweeps out a 4pi solid angle image in a half spin period. The energy per charge range from 15eV/e to 32 keV/e is covered in 28 non-contiguous steps spaced approximately logarithmically with adjacent steps separated by about 30%. In order to handle the large volume of data within the telemetry limitations the distributions are compressed to varying degrees in angle and energy, log-count compressed and then further compressed by a lossless technique. This data processing task is supported by two SA3300 microprocessors. The voltages (up to + 5 kV) for the tandem toroidal electrostatic analyzers are supplied from common high voltage supplies using optically controlled series-shunt regulators.

Additional information
Full instrument description

Full and detailed descriptions of the TIMAS instrument goals, design and calibration (written in 1996).

NSSDC's Master Catalog

Information about the Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS) experiment on the POLAR mission.

Contact
Role Person
1. Principal investigator Dr. W. K. Peterson Get XML
Release date
2009-05-20 21:10:13
Instrument type
Energetic Particle Instrument
Mass Spectrometer
Investigation name
Toroidal Imaging Mass-Angle Spectrograph (TIMAS) on Polar
Observatory
POLAR Get XML
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SPASE version 2.0.0

Observatory: POLAR

Observatory ID
spase://SMWG/Observatory/POLAR Get XML
Name
POLAR
Alternate name
Polar Plasma Laboratory
GGS/Polar
ISTP/Polar
Description

POLAR is one of four spacecraft in the Global Geospace Science (GGS) program. These are among the six spacecraft in the International Solar Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) program. POLAR provides multi-wavelength imaging of the aurora, measuring plasma entry into the polar magnetosphere and geomagnetic tail, the flow of plasmas to and from the ionosphere, and the deposition of particle energy in the ionosphere and upper atmosphere. POLAR has on-board propulsion systems and a design lifetime of three to five years, with redundant subsystems. POLAR is cylindrical, approximately 2.8 m in diameter by 1.25 m high (plus 1.25 m for its two despun platforms), with body-mounted solar cells, weighs 1250 kg and uses 333 W of power. The spin rate is 10 rpm around an axis approximately normal to the orbital plane. It has long wire spin-plane antennas, inertial booms, and spin-plane appendages to support sensors. POLAR has two despun gimbaled instrument platforms, and booms are deployed along both Z axes. Data are stored using on-board tape recorders and are relayed to the Deep Space Network at 600 kbps maximum (250 kbps nominal) although the average real-time data rate for POLAR is 41.6 kbps. POLAR has a 22.6-h polar orbit (90 deg inclination), with perigee and apogee of 11,500 and 57,000 km. Polar was launched to observe the polar magnetosphere and, as its orbit has precessed with time, has observed the equatorial inner magnetosphere and is now carrying out an extended period of southern hemisphere coverage. Details on the POLAR mission and instrumentation are provided in Space Science Reviews (Vol. 71, Nos. 1-4, 1995) and reprinted in The Global Geospace Mission, edited by C. T. Russell (Kluwer, 1995).

Additional information
NASA Polar Project

Web site of NASA Polar Mission, including overview, data products, FTP to the data, publications, educational outreach, orbits, instrument descriptions, contacts, news archive, and ISTP archive.

NSSDC's Master Catalog

Information about the Polar mission

Contact
Role Person
1. Project scientist Dr. John B. Sigwarth Get XML
Release date
2009-05-20 20:00:12
Prior ID
spase://vspo/observatory/67
Location
Region
Earth.Magnetosphere
Earth.Magnetosphere.Polar
Earth.Magnetosphere.RadiationBelt
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SPASE version 2.0.0

Person: Dr. W. K. Peterson

Name
Dr. W. K. Peterson
Organization
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics LASP, University of Colorado
Email
Bill.Peterson@lasp.colorado.edu
Phone
(303) 492-0686
Person ID
spase://SMWG/Person/W.K.Peterson Get XML
Release date
2008-06-10 16:06:25
↑

SPASE version 2.0.0

Person: Dr. Robert E. McGuire

Name
Dr. Robert E. McGuire
Organization
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Address
Code 672, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA
Email
mcguire@mail630.gsfc.nasa.gov
Phone
1-301-286-7794
Person ID
spase://SMWG/Person/Robert.E.McGuire Get XML
Release date
2007-05-30 15:25:24
↑

SPASE version 2.0.0

Person: Dr. John B. Sigwarth

Name
Dr. John B. Sigwarth
Organization
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Address
NASA/GSFC, Code 674, Greenbelt, MD 20771
Email
pwg_project@nssdc.nasa.gov
Person ID
spase://SMWG/Person/John.B.Sigwarth Get XML
Release date
2007-12-04 23:11:21
↑

SPASE version 1.2.0

Repository: CDAWeb Data Repository FTP Interface

Repository ID
spase://SMWG/Repository/NASA/GSFC/SPDF/CDAWeb Get XML
Name
CDAWeb Data Repository FTP Interface
Description

Coordinated Data Analysis Web (CDAWeb) supports not only interactive plotting of variables from multiple instruments on multiple investigations simultaneously on arbitrary, user-defined time-scales. It also supports data retrieval in various formats using its interactive web interface or ftp service.

Additional information
CDAWeb Home Page

Coordinated Data Analysis Web (CDAWeb) home page at Space Physics Data Facility of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Contact
Role Person
1. Project scientist Dr. Robert E. McGuire Get XML
Release date
2008-08-26 21:14:34
Prior ID
spase://VMO/Repository/CDAWeb
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