Document title: Format.sfd for NDADS DE RPA_ASCII datatype Project: DE NDADS Datatype: RPA_ASCII Super-EID: DOCUMENT There may be other documents also identified by this super-EID. NDADS filename: RPA_FORMAT_DE.SFD TRF entry: B46562.txt in NSSDC's controlled digital document library, Feb. 1998. Document text follows: ---------------------- CCSDYDNM000200NSSD0013SMARK001 TYPE_OF_FILE_NAME: RPA FILES RECORD_TYPE_NAMES: RPA_1 RECORD_TYPES: RECORD_TYPE_NAME: RPA_1 FIXED_RECORD_TYPE_LENGTH: 84 BYTES FIELD_NAME: DATE FIELD_MNEMONIC: DATE FIELD_DESCRIPTION: Year and day number of the year of the record in the form YYDDD. (e.g. 81264 is day 264 of year 1981.) FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1 day FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 81215 MAXIMUM_VALUE: 83049 FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: None FIELD_SYNTAX: VI4 FIELD_NAME: TIME FIELD_MNEMONIC: TIME FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The universal time (UT) time of the day in milliseconds (ms). FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1 ms FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 MAXIMUM VALUE: 86399999 FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: None FIELD_SYNTAX: VI4 FIELD_NAME: Data quality FIELD_MNEMONIC: Qual FIELD_DESCRIPTION: A flag describing the quality of the RPA data. A value greater than or equal to 0 indicates that the data has passed the set of basic quality checks. A negative value indicates that the RPA data fails at least one check and is untrustworthy. Following are the sequence of checks. Tests are sequentially performed until a flag is assigned. Ni<8000 or Ni>6.E6 flag=-70 Psi<-2 or Psi>0.5 flag=-60 for INVARIANT LATITUDE<50 Ti<500 or Ti>10000 flag=-50 |Vx|>700 m/s flag=-20 Mols>O+ flag=-40 H+>O+ flag=-30 Vx=0 flag= 40 Vx non zero Sum of light ions > 25% O+ flag= 50 Sum of light ions < 25% O+ flag= 20 set flag to 0 if one of the needed concentrations is unavailable. increase magnitude of flag by 5 if rms fit error > 10% for INVARIANT LATITUDE>50 Ti<500 or Ti>200000 flag=-50 Ti>7000 |Vx|<1000 and |Vz|<1000 flag=-20 Alt>600 Mols>O+ flag=-40 O+>Mols flag= 30 Alt<=600 Mols>O+ Vx>0 flag=-10 Vx<=0 flag= 0 O+>Mols flag= 30 Ti<=7000 |Vx|>2000 flag=-20 Mols>O+ flag=-40 O+>Mols flag= 60 set flag to 0 if one of the needed concentrations is unavailable. increase magnitude of flag by 5 if rms fit error > 12% FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 5 FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -75 MAXIMUM_VALUE: 65 FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VI4 FIELD_NAME: X component of ion velocity FIELD_MNEMONIC: Vx FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The component of the ion velocity parallel to the x-axis of the spacecraft (approximately parallel to the direction of motion of the spacecraft). Vx is measured in m/s. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1 m/s FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -5000. m/s MAXIMUM_VALUE: 5000. m/s FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Y component of ion velocity FIELD_MNEMONIC: Vy FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The component of the ion velocity parallel to the y-axis of the spacecraft (approximately vertical, a positive value indicates an upward velocity). This data comes from the ion drift meter (IDM). FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1 m/s FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -5000. m/s MAXIMUM_VALUE: 5000. m/s FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Z component of ion velocity FIELD_MNEMONIC: Vz FIELD_DESCRIPTION:The component of the ion velocity parallel to the z-axis of the spacecraft (approximately horizontal). When facing in the direction of motion of the spacecraft Vz is positive to the right. This data comes from the ion drift meter (IDM). FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1 m/s FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -5000. m/s MAXIMUM_VALUE: 5000. m/s FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Ion temperature FIELD_MNEMONIC: Ti FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The ion temperature in degrees Kelvin FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. degree FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 500. degrees MAXIMUM_VALUE: 20000. degrees FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Ion density FIELD_MNEMONIC: Ni FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The ion density in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc. FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 1000.ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.0E+6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Spacecraft potential FIELD_MNEMONIC: Psi FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The spacecraft potential in volts. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.001 V. FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -4.0 V. MAXIMUM_VALUE: 4.0 V. FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: O+ concentration FIELD_MNEMONIC: O+ FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The concentration of O+ in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.E6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: H+ concentration FIELD_MNEMONIC: H+ FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The concentration of H+ in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.E6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: He+ concentration FIELD_MNEMONIC: He+ FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The concentration of He+ in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc. FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.E6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Molecular ions FIELD_MNEMONIC: Mols FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The concentration of Molecular ions in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc. FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.E6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: High Mass FIELD_MNEMONIC: Himass FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The concentration of high mass ions in ions/cc. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1. ion/cc. FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0 ions/cc MAXIMUM_VALUE: 6.E6 ions/cc FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Sigma FIELD_MNEMONIC: Sigma FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The RMS error of the RPA analysis. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1.0 % FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0.0 % MAXIMUM_VALUE: 99.0 % FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Sweep type FIELD_MNEMONIC: Type FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The type of RPA sweep used: 1. Integral RPA curve obtained with voltage sweep from 0 to beyond 10 volts. 2. Electronic derivative of RPA curve obtained with voltage sweep from 0 to beyond 10 volts. 3. Integral RPA curve obtained with voltage sweep from 0 up to 8 volts. 4. Electronic derivative of RPA curve obtained with voltage sweep from 0 to 8 volts. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 1.0 FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 1. MAXIMUM_VALUE: 4. FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Geographic latitude FIELD_MNEMONIC: Glat FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The geographic latitude of the spacecraft in degrees. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.0001 degrees FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -90.0 degrees MAXIMUM_VALUE: 90.0 degrees FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Geographic longititude FIELD_MNEMONIC: Glon FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The geographic longititude of the spacecraft in degrees. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.001 degrees FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: -180.0 degrees MAXIMUM_VALUE: 180.0 degrees FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Invariant latitude FIELD_MNEMONIC: Ilat FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The invariant latitude of the spacecraft in degrees. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.0001 degrees FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0.0 degrees MAXIMUM_VALUE: 90.0 degrees FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Magnetic local time FIELD_MNEMONIC: Mlt FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The magnetic local time of the spacecraft in hours. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.0001 hours FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 0.0 hours MAXIMUM_VALUE: 24.0 hours FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 FIELD_NAME: Altitude FIELD_MNEMONIC: Alt FIELD_DESCRIPTION: The altitude of the spacecraft in km. FIELD_RESOLUTI0N: 0.01 km FIELD_RANGE: MINIMUM_VALUE: 200. km MAXIMUM_VALUE: 1012. km FIELD_IDIOSYNCRACIES: See RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS FIELD_SYNTAX: VR4 RECORD_TYPE_FIELD_RELATIONSHIPS: The order of the fields in an RPA_1 record is as follows: DATE, TIME, QUAL, Vx, Vy, Vz, Ti, Ni, Psi, O+, H+, He+, Mols, Himass, Sigma, Type, Glat, Glon, Ilat, Mlt, Alt RECORD_TYPE_ALGORITHMS: The real fields of an RPA_1 record are initialized with a fill value of 9999999.0 and subsequently the geophysical values are inserted. Thus if there is no data available for a given parameter that particular field will contain the fill data value. MISCELLANEOUS_TYPE_OF_FILE_ATTRIBUTES: RPA files are sequential with a single type of fixed length record (RPA_1). The Vy and Vz fields in an RPA_1 record contain data from the ion drift meter (IDM). All other data fields use the retarding potential analyzer (RPA). CCSDYDNM000200NSSD0013EMARK001