Hourly Interplanetary Magnetic Field and Solar Wind Plasma Database

Metadata from the NOAA Metadata Manager's Repository (NMMR)

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:National Geophysical Data Center (comp)

Publication_Date:2004

Title:

Hourly Interplanetary Magnetic Field and Solar Wind Plasma Database

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form:tabular digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place:Boulder, CO

Publisher:National Geophysical Data Center

Online_Linkage:http://spidr.ngdc.noaa.gov

Description:

Abstract:

The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is a part of the Sun's magnetic field that is carried into interplanetary space by the solar wind. The interplanetary magnetic field lines are said to be "frozen in" to the solar wind plasma. Because of the Sun's rotation, the IMF, like the solar wind, travels outward in a spiral pattern that is often compared to the pattern of water sprayed from a rotating lawn sprinkler. The IMF originates in regions on the Sun where the magnetic field is "open"--that is, where field lines emerging from one region do not return to a conjugate region but extend virtually indefinitely into space. The direction (polarity, sense) of the field in the Sun's northern hemisphere is opposite that of the field in the southern hemisphere. (The polarities reverse with each solar cycle.) The IMF is a vector quantity with three directional components, two of which (Bx and By) are oriented parallel to the ecliptic. The third component--Bz--is perpendicular to the ecliptic and is created by waves and other disturbances in the solar wind. When the IMF and geomagnetic field lines are oriented opposite or "antiparallel" to each other, they can "merge" or "reconnect," resulting in the transfer of energy, mass, and momentum from the solar wind flow to magnetosphere The strongest coupling --with the most dramatic magnetospheric effects-- occurs when the Bz component is oriented southward. The IMF is a weak field, varying in strength near the Earth from 1 to 37 nT, with an average value of ~6 nT. The database contains Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) in Geocentric Solar Magnetospheric (GSM) coordinate system and Solar Wind Plasma (SWP) data from many spacecrafts (mostly IMP-8 since 1973) which have explored over the last three decades. Plasma data include ion density and flow bulk speed. The collected heliospheric IMF and SWP data sets have been provided by Principal Investigator J.H. King (Director, National Space Science Data Center, request@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov ). All parameters have been quality controlled, corrected and, as far as possible, written in a similar format. The interplanetary field and plasma data were all obtained by spacecraft in geocentric or selenocentric orbit when those spacecraft were outside the Earth's bow shock.

Purpose:

Provide information for research and surveyors

Supplemental_Information:

Formally FE 17, 119, 626. Entry_ID G01152

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date:19730101

Ending_Date:Present

Currentness_Reference:

Publication Date

Status:

Progress:In Work

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency:Monthly

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate:-180.000000

East_Bounding_Coordinate:180.000000

North_Bounding_Coordinate:90.000000

South_Bounding_Coordinate:-90.000000

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:GCMD Earth Science Services Keywords

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Analysis And Visualization > Visualization/Image Processing

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Archiving

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Cataloging

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Compression

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Delivery

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Interoperability > Data Reformatting

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Interoperability

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Mining

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Data Search And Retrieval

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Media Transfer/Data Rescue

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Subsetting/Supersetting

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Data Handling > Transformation/Conversion

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Environmental Advisories > Space Weather Advisories

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Environmental Advisories > Space Weather Advisories > Solar Flares

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Environmental Advisories > Space Weather Advisories > Aurora Forecasts

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Environmental Advisories > Space Weather Advisories > Radio Blackouts

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Environmental Advisories > Space Weather Advisories > Geomagnetic Storm

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Metadata Handling > Data Discovery

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Metadata Handling > Metadata Transformation/Conversion

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE SERVICES > Metadata Handling > Service Discovery

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:GCMD Science Keywords

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE > Solid Earth > Geomagnetism > Geomagnetic Indices

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE > Sun-earth Interactions > Solar Activity > Sunspots

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE > Radiance Or Imagery > Radio Wave > Radio Wave Flux

Theme_Keyword:EARTH SCIENCE > Sun-earth Interactions > Solar Activity > Solar Radio Waves

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:GCMD Platform Keywords

Theme_Keyword:ACE > Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)

Theme_Keyword:IMP-8 > Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:Uncontrolled Keywords

Theme_Keyword:Interplanetary magnetic field

Theme_Keyword:IMF

Theme_Keyword:Solar wind plasma

Theme_Keyword:SWP

Theme_Keyword:Bz

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus:GCMD Location Keywords

Place_Keyword:Global

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus:GCMD Location Keywords

Place_Keyword:Magnetosphere (other)

Access_Constraints:No Constraints

Use_Constraints:

None

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Contact_Person:Eric A. Kihn

Contact_Address:

Address_Type:Mailing and Physical Address

Address:

NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC E/GC1 325 Broadway

City:Boulder

State_or_Province:CO

Postal_Code:80305-3328

Country:USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone:(303) 497-6137

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone:(303) 497-6513

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:Eric.A.Kihn@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service:7:30 - 5:00 Mountain

Contact Instructions:

Contact Data Center

Data_Quality_Information:

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Completeness_Report:

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description:

Process_Date:

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Contact_Person:Eric A. Kihn

Contact_Address:

Address_Type:Mailing and Physical Address

Address:

NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC E/GC1 325 Broadway

City:Boulder

State_or_Province:CO

Postal_Code:80305-3328

Country:USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone:(303) 497-6349

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone:(303) 497-6513

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:Eric.A.Kihn@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service:7:30 - 5:00 Mountain

Contact Instructions:

Contact Data Center

Resource_Description:SOLAR-TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS

Distribution_Liability:

While every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of the current state of the art, NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

Standard_Order_Process:

Digital_Form:

Digital_Transfer_Information:

Format_Name:ASCII

File_Decompression_Technique:ZIP archive

Digital_Transfer_Option:

Online_Option:

Computer_Contact_Information:

Network_Address:

Network_Resource_Name:http://spidr.ngdc.noaa.gov

Network_Resource_Name:http://clust1.wdcb.ru/spidr

Fees:Free of charge

Custom_Order_Process:

Contact Data Center

Technical_Prerequisites:

Contact Data Center

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date:20040610

Metadata_Review_Date:20040610

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC > National Geophysical Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Contact_Person:Eric A. Kihn

Contact_Address:

Address_Type:Mailing and Physical Address

Address:

NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC E/GC1 325 Broadway

City:Boulder

State_or_Province:CO

Postal_Code:80305-3328

Country:USA

Contact_Voice_Telephone:(303) 497-6349

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone:(303) 497-6513

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address:EricA.Kihn@noaa.gov

Hours_of_Service:7:30 - 5:00 Mountain

Contact Instructions:

Contact Data Center

Metadata_Standard_Name:Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version:FGDC-STD-001-1998