STEREO SWEA Data Caveats
- June, 2009
-
Since commissioning, the SWEA instruments on both STEREO spacecraft have
registered difficult to characterize degradations in the solar wind core
electron energies, probably due to charging effects. The nature of the
degradations are such that we cannot reliably report electron
measurements below 100 eV. However, halo and higher energy electrons are
unaffected. Versions 4 and higher of the SWEA 3D distribution data
products have these lower energies removed. Similarly, versions 4 and
higher of the SWEA pitch angle distribution products also remove these
energies. Use of the SWEA pitch angle distributions for most purposes
(for example, higher energy heat flux PADs) should be largely
unaffected. For more information regarding these issues please contact
Peter Schroeder (peters@ssl.berkeley.edu). IF YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED
VERSION 2 or 3 FILES, THOSE FILES CONTAIN UNRELIABLE DATA BELOW 100 EV AND
SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH VERSION 4 (should be available soon).
Note that if the interpretation of these data become a significant focus in your work, you should obtain explicit prior permission from the PI of the experiment before publication.
