NSSDCA ID: PSFP-00386
Availability: Archived at NSSDC, accessible from elsewhere
This description was generated automatically using input from the Planetary Data System.
The Neutral Particle Imager (NPI) measures integral ENA fluxes in the energy range 0.1 to 60 keV to help satisfy the following scientific objectives: 1. Determine the instantaneous global distributions of plasma and neutral gas near Mars 2. Energy deposition from the solar wind to the ionosphere 3. Search for the solar wind-Phobos interactions
All NPI data products have the same format and parameters, and each row (data file record) in the NPI SPREADSHEET data products has eight (8) COLUMN objects (parameters): 1. Start Time - Begin Date/Time in UTC of data samples 2. Stop Time - Ending Date/Time in UTC of data samples 3. Data Type Name - either SENSOR or MODE. The SENSOR rows are the NPI science data for each sector (32 sectors). The MODE rows contains informational data like Accumulation Time and MCP Mode. 4. Data Type Id - Numeric ID indicating either SENSOR or MODE. 5. Data Name - Short description for data on that row. For example 'Sector 0' for NPI sector 0 science data (SENSOR row), or 'Accumulation Time' for informational data (MODE row). 6. Data Unit - Indicates the data unit (c/acc for SENSOR data, unitless for MODE data). 7. Values - These are the actual data values. For NPI, there is one value per row (sector). 8. Data Quality Value - Quality indicator for the data on that row. See CONFIDENCE_LEVEL_NOTE under 'Data Coverage/Quality' for valid values and descriptions. Data Products: == The Standard Data Products for NPI PSA Level 1b (EDR) products are: 1. NPINORM_C_ACC - Neutral Particle Imager NORMal mode data in Counts / ACCumulation units. 2. NPISTEP_C_ACC - Neutral Particle Imager STEP mode data in Counts / ACCumulation units. NOTE: The first data delivery (all data since launch through June 2004) contains only NPINORM_C_ACC data products. This is because no NPI Step mode data were generated during this time period.
It is important for ASPERA-3 science studies to know where in space and time the Mars Express spacecraft and ASPERA-3 instruments are located and what objects (Sun, Mars, Earth, Phobos, Deimos) are in the fields of views. The ASPERA-3 view directions for each sensor can be derived using the SPICE kernels and software. The ASPERA-3 Sensor Frames and Geometry Information document (in DOCUMENT directory) provides a code example (in C and FORTRAN) for determining the view directions for the ASPERA-3 sensors. Coordinate System: == The ASPERA-3 data are always in the instrument reference frame since data are sampled in situ. The GEOMETRY table contains spacecraft related parameters expressed in the J2000 reference frame, and the ASPERA-3 Sensor Frames and Geometry Information document (in DOCUMENT directory) provides information for determining the ASPERA-3 sensors view directions and transforming to the J2000 reference frame.
Refer to the ASPERA-3 Experiment to Archive Interface Control Document (EAICD) found in the DOCUMENT directory (MEX_ASPERA3_PSA_ICD_V01_00) for more information and detail concerning data set formulation and contents.
Questions and comments about this data collection can be directed to: Dr. David R. Williams
Name | Role | Original Affiliation | |
---|---|---|---|
Prof. Rickard Lundin | Data Provider | Swedish Institute for Space Physics | rickard.lundin@irf.se |
Dr. Sandee J. Jeffers | General Contact | Southwest Research Institute | sandee.jeffers@swri.org |