ACE Data Descrition

Example of browse plot from Aug. 8, 2000:

The top panel shows the north/south (Bz) component and total strength of the interplanetary magnetic field about one million kilometers upstream from Earth. Typically, Bz is near zero and B is about 5 nanoTesla (10,000 times weaker than on the surface of the Earth). Strongly negative Bz favors reconnection, the entry of solar wind mass, energy, and momentum into the magnetosphere. Short (~1hr) intervals of southward Bz result in substorms, longer intervals in storms.

The solar wind density and velocity are typically 5 cm^-3 and 400 km s^-1, respectively. Greater values favor geomagnetic activity within the Earth's magnetosphere.

EPAM measures fluxes of energetic ions and electrons. These particles enter the Earth's magnetosphere to precipitate into the northern and southern polar caps, where enhanced ionization can disrupt radio communication.

SIS measures the highly energetic particles that would be dangerous astronauts in interplanetary space.

ACE Browse Plots
Line plots of ACE parameters from the last 4 days. more info
ACE Real Time Solar Wind Page Access to real time solar wind data for each of the ACE instruments