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Data Access
Voyager/MAG team site
FTPS from SPDF (not with most browsers)
HTTPS from SPDF
PDS/PPI
Voyager 2 48-s Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG) Magnetic Field Data in ASCII Format
var authors='Ness, Norman F.; Burlaga, Leonard F.';
document.write(authors);
(2025).
Voyager 2 48-s Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG) Magnetic Field Data in ASCII Format.
[Data set].
Space Physics Data Facility; Planetary Data System.
https://doi.org/10.48322/tvyz-b160. Accessed on document.write(currentDateStr);.
Note: Proper references, including
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or other formats, should include the "Accessed on date" to identify the version of the resource being cited in a given publication.
ResourceID
spase://NASA/NumericalData/Voyager2/MAG/ASCII/PT48S
Description
The average magnetic field strength produced by the spacecraft at the location of the
outboard magnetometer, of the dual magnetometers system on V2, varies between 0.1 and 0.2 nT, comparable
to the most probable magnetic field strength in the inner heliosheath and significantly larger
than the most probable magnetic field strength in the distant supersonic solar wind. The spacecraft
magnetic field is a complex, time-dependent signal that must be removed from the measured magnetic
field signal in order to derive the ambient magnetic fields of the solar wind and heliosheath.
Corrections must also be made for spurious magnetic signals and noise associated with the telemetry
system, ground tracking systems, and other factors. Extracting the signal describing the solar wind
and heliosheath from the many sources of uncertainty is a complex and partly subjective process that
requires understanding of the instrument and judgment based on experience in dealing with the
ever-changing extraneous signals. We estimate that the 1-sigma uncertainty in the 48 sec averages
in the components of the magnetic field is typically +/- 0.02 nT. The uncertainties in F1, BR, BT,
and BN can differ from one another and they may vary with time, but there is no practical way to
determine these uncertainties more precisely at present. This descriptor, and the data
access path identified below, are specific to 48s Voyager 2 MAG data taken when the spacecraft
was in the vicinity of, and beyond, the heliospheric termination shock.
References
Behannon, K.W., M.H. Acuna, L.F. Burlaga, R.P. Lepping, N.F. Ness, and F.M. Neubauer,
Magnetic-Field Experiment for Voyager-2 and Voyager-2, Space Science Reviews, 21 (3), 235-257, 1977.
Burlaga, L.F., Merged interaction regions and large-scale magnetic field fluctuations during 1991 -
Voyager-2 observations, J. Geophys. Res., 99 (A10), 19341-19350, 1994.
Burlaga, L.F., N.F. Ness, Y.-M. Wang, and N.R. Sheeley Jr., Heliospheric magnetic field strength and
polarity from 1 to 81 AU during the ascending phase of solar cycle 23, J. Geophys. Res., 107 (A11), 1410, 2002.
Ness, N., K.W. Behannon, R. Lepping, and K.H. Schatten, J. Geophys. Res., , 76, 3564, 1971.
Metadata Rights
CC0-1.0:
Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal
Note
CC0 1.0 Universal is the Creative Commons license applicable to all publicly available SPASE metadata descriptions. The actual data/software may be subject to a different license.
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Version:2.7.1
NumericalData
ResourceID
spase://NASA/NumericalData/Voyager2/MAG/ASCII/PT48S
NamingAuthority
NASA
ResourceType
NumericalData
ResourceHeader
ResourceName
Voyager 2 48-s Triaxial Fluxgate Magnetometer (MAG) Magnetic Field Data in ASCII Format
DOI
https://doi.org/10.48322/tvyz-b160
ReleaseDate
2026-06-26 13:31:22Z
RevisionHistory
RevisionEvent
ReleaseDate
2021-06-02 21:15:58Z
Note
Only known prior ReleaseDate of the metadata
RevisionEvent
ReleaseDate
2025-11-14 16:01:55Z
Note
Added PublicationInfo. Added ResourceType and NamingAuthority. Changed http to https in top-level schemaLocation attribute. Fixed version number separator in top-level schemaLocation attribute. Matched version number in schemaLocation attribute to updated value in Version tag. ZCB
RevisionEvent
ReleaseDate
2025-12-04 13:32:37Z
Note
Added MetadataRightsList and RightsList(s). Updated to 2.7.1. ZCB
RevisionEvent
ReleaseDate
2026-02-17 18:48:03Z
Note
Added DOI. TLK
RevisionEvent
ReleaseDate
2026-06-26 13:31:22Z
Note
Add 'Z' to TemporalDescription:TimeSpan:StartDate, TemporalDescription:TimeSpan:StopDate. ZCB
Description
The average magnetic field strength produced by the spacecraft at the location of the
outboard magnetometer, of the dual magnetometers system on V2, varies between 0.1 and 0.2 nT, comparable
to the most probable magnetic field strength in the inner heliosheath and significantly larger
than the most probable magnetic field strength in the distant supersonic solar wind. The spacecraft
magnetic field is a complex, time-dependent signal that must be removed from the measured magnetic
field signal in order to derive the ambient magnetic fields of the solar wind and heliosheath.
Corrections must also be made for spurious magnetic signals and noise associated with the telemetry
system, ground tracking systems, and other factors. Extracting the signal describing the solar wind
and heliosheath from the many sources of uncertainty is a complex and partly subjective process that
requires understanding of the instrument and judgment based on experience in dealing with the
ever-changing extraneous signals. We estimate that the 1-sigma uncertainty in the 48 sec averages
in the components of the magnetic field is typically +/- 0.02 nT. The uncertainties in F1, BR, BT,
and BN can differ from one another and they may vary with time, but there is no practical way to
determine these uncertainties more precisely at present. This descriptor, and the data
access path identified below, are specific to 48s Voyager 2 MAG data taken when the spacecraft
was in the vicinity of, and beyond, the heliospheric termination shock.
References
Behannon, K.W., M.H. Acuna, L.F. Burlaga, R.P. Lepping, N.F. Ness, and F.M. Neubauer,
Magnetic-Field Experiment for Voyager-2 and Voyager-2, Space Science Reviews, 21 (3), 235-257, 1977.
Burlaga, L.F., Merged interaction regions and large-scale magnetic field fluctuations during 1991 -
Voyager-2 observations, J. Geophys. Res., 99 (A10), 19341-19350, 1994.
Burlaga, L.F., N.F. Ness, Y.-M. Wang, and N.R. Sheeley Jr., Heliospheric magnetic field strength and
polarity from 1 to 81 AU during the ascending phase of solar cycle 23, J. Geophys. Res., 107 (A11), 1410, 2002.
Ness, N., K.W. Behannon, R. Lepping, and K.H. Schatten, J. Geophys. Res., , 76, 3564, 1971.
Acknowledgement
Please acknowledge the Principal Investigator, N. Ness of University of Delaware and Co-Investigator L. Burlaga of NASA GSFC.
PublicationInfo
Authors
Ness, Norman F.; Burlaga, Leonard F.
PublicationDate
2025-11-14 16:01:55Z
PublishedBy
Space Physics Data Facility; Planetary Data System
Contacts
Role
Person
StartDate
StopDate
Note
1.
PrincipalInvestigator
spase://SMWG/Person/Norman.F.Ness
2.
CoInvestigator
spase://SMWG/Person/Leonard.F.Burlaga
3.
MetadataContact
spase://SMWG/Person/Jan.Merka
4.
MetadataContact
spase://SMWG/Person/Todd.A.King
InformationURL
Name
Readme at Voyager MAG team web site
URL
https://vgrmag-data.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/data/voyager/vgrmag-data/summary/readme.summary
PriorIDs
spase://VHO/NumericalData/Voyager2/MAG/PT48S
spase://VSPO/NumericalData/Voyager2/MAG/PT48S
spase://VSPO/NumericalData/Voyager2/MAG/ASCII/PT48S
AccessInformation
RepositoryID
spase://SMWG/Repository/NASA/GSFC/Voyager/MAG
Availability
Online
AccessRights
Open
RightsList
Rights
SchemeURI
https://spdx.org/licenses/
RightsIdentifierScheme
SPDX
RightsIdentifier
CC0-1.0
RightsURI
https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html
RightsName
Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal
Note
CC0 1.0 Universal is the Creative Commons license applicable to all publicly available NASA Heliophysics data products
AccessURL
Name
Voyager/MAG team site
URL
https://vgrmag-data.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/data/voyager/vgrmag-data/summary/v2/
Format
Text
AccessInformation
RepositoryID
spase://SMWG/Repository/NASA/GSFC/SPDF
Availability
Online
AccessRights
Open
RightsList
Rights
SchemeURI
https://spdx.org/licenses/
RightsIdentifierScheme
SPDX
RightsIdentifier
CC0-1.0
RightsURI
https://spdx.org/licenses/CC0-1.0.html
RightsName
Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal
Note
CC0 1.0 Universal is the Creative Commons license applicable to all publicly available NASA Heliophysics data products
AccessURL
Name
FTPS from SPDF (not with most browsers)
URL
ftps://spdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/data/voyager/voyager2/magnetic_fields/ip_48s_ascii/data/
Description
In ascii via ftp from SPDF
AccessURL
Name
HTTPS from SPDF
URL
https://spdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/pub/data/voyager/voyager2/magnetic_fields/ip_48s_ascii/data/
Description
In ascii via HTTP from SPDF
Format
Text.ASCII
AccessInformation
RepositoryID
spase://SMWG/Repository/PDS/PPI
Availability
Online
AccessRights
Open
AccessURL
Name
PDS/PPI
URL
https://pds-ppi.igpp.ucla.edu/search/view/?f=yes&id=pds://PPI/VG2-SW-MAG-4-SUMM-HGCOORDS-48SEC-V1.0
ProductKey
VG2-SW-MAG-4-SUMM-HGCOORDS-48SEC-V2.0
Description
This collection is archived with NASA's Planetary Data System.
Language
En
Format
Text.ASCII
Acknowledgement
NASA's Planetary Plasma Interactions (PPI) Node of the Planetary Data System (PDS) and the P.I. for the data.
ProviderProcessingLevel
CALIBRATED
InstrumentIDs
spase://SMWG/Instrument/Voyager2/MAG
MeasurementType
MagneticField
TemporalDescription
TimeSpan
StartDate
1977-09-05 00:00:00Z
StopDate
1990-12-31 00:00:00Z
Cadence
PT48S
ObservedRegion
Heliosphere.Outer
ObservedRegion
Heliosphere.Heliosheath
Caveats
Extracting the signal describing the solar wind and heliosheath from the many sources of uncertainty is a complex and
partly subjective process that requires understanding of the instrument and judgment based on experience in dealing with
the ever-changing extraneous signals. As a result, users should consult the specific caveats that are included in the header
of each granule. The granule headers list any caveats that are specific to that time interval.
Parameter #1
Name
Spacecraft ID
ParameterKey
Column_1
Description
Spacecraft ID. Value FLT2 means Voyager 2.
Support
SupportQuantity
Other
Parameter #2
Name
Coordinate system
ParameterKey
Column_2
Description
Flag for coordinate system. Virtually all values are HG,
meaning Heliographic Inertial
Support
SupportQuantity
Other
Parameter #3
Name
Year
ParameterKey
Column_3
Description
Year of the measurement, 2 digits
Support
SupportQuantity
Temporal
Parameter #4
Name
Day of year
ParameterKey
Column_4
Description
Fractional day of year of the measurement (Jan 1 = 1).
ValidMin
1
ValidMax
366.9999
Support
SupportQuantity
Temporal
Parameter #5
Name
B
ParameterKey
Column_5
Description
The magnetic field strength, the average of higher resolution field strengths, in nT
Units
nT
Field
Qualifier
Magnitude
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #6
Name
Magnitude average
ParameterKey
Column_6
Description
Magnitude of vector constituted by average field components
Units
nT
Field
Qualifier
Magnitude
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #7
Name
Field elevation angle
ParameterKey
Column_7
Description
Elevation angle of magnetic field vector
Units
Deg
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Spherical
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
ValidMin
-90.
ValidMax
90.
Field
Qualifier
DirectionAngle.ElevationAngle
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #8
Name
Field azimuth angle
ParameterKey
Column_8
Description
Azimuth angle of magnetic field vector
Units
Deg
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Spherical
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
ValidMin
0.
ValidMax
360.
Field
Qualifier
DirectionAngle.AzimuthAngle
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #9
Name
Br
ParameterKey
Column_9
Description
Radial component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates.
Units
nT
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.I
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #10
Name
Bt
ParameterKey
Column_10
Description
Transverse component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates
Units
nT
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.J
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #11
Name
Bn
ParameterKey
Column_11
Description
Normal component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates
Units
nT
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.K
Qualifier
Average
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #12
Name
dBr
ParameterKey
Column_12
Description
1-sigma uncertainty in the radial component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates.
Units
nT
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.I
Qualifier
StandardDeviation
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #13
Name
dBt
ParameterKey
Column_13
Description
1-sigma uncertainty in the transverse component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates
Units
nT
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.J
Qualifier
StandardDeviation
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #14
Name
dBn
ParameterKey
Column_14
Description
1-sigma uncertainty in the normal component of vector magnetic field in RTN coordinates
Units
nT
UnitsConversion
1e-9>T
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
RTN
Field
Qualifier
Component.K
Qualifier
StandardDeviation
FieldQuantity
Magnetic
Parameter #15
Name
X
ParameterKey
Column_15
Description
X component of HGI spacecraft position vector.
Units
AU
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
HGI
Support
Qualifier
Component.I
SupportQuantity
Positional
Parameter #16
Name
Y
ParameterKey
Column_16
Description
Y component of HGI spacecraft position vector.
Units
AU
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
HGI
Support
Qualifier
Component.J
SupportQuantity
Positional
Parameter #17
Name
Z
ParameterKey
Column_17
Description
Z component of HGI spacecraft position vector.
Units
AU
CoordinateSystem
CoordinateRepresentation
Cartesian
CoordinateSystemName
HGI
Support
Qualifier
Component.K
SupportQuantity
Positional
Parameter #18
Name
R
ParameterKey
Column_18
Description
Heliocentric radial distance of spacecraft.
Units
AU
Support
SupportQuantity
Positional