Pioneer Venus Plasma Summary Data

Description

This collection consists of summary plasma data obtained by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter plasma analyzer (OPA) experiment. The data contain the derived plasma parameters for every spectrum returned by the OPA.

Each record consists of 27 words which include the spacecraft ID, the date of the record, the time of day (spacecraft event time, seconds) at the start of the record, the chi-square of the fit to the spectrum, an evaluation of the record quality, reserved (but not used) space for the magnetic field and its azimuthal and polar angles, the proton temperature (K), and the plasma density (cm-3), bulk speed (km/sec), and azimuthal and polar flow angles (degrees), and the date of processing. Also included in each record is the uncertainty of the various quantities. Parameters measured inside the Cytherian bow shock are not to be regarded to be reliable. Points which appear to be unreliable have been flagged in this data set. All data are given in the spacecraft frame and no attempt has been made to correct velocities and flow angles for aberration or for unusual orientations of the spacecraft.

Hourly averages derived from these summary data are available as collection SPHE-00481. The data are available as a single unformatted ASCII file for each year for which summary data have been generated.