The SWICS 12-minute proton data contains densities, speeds, and thermal speeds from the beginning of the mission up to the present day. The densities have been cross-calibrated to the proton monitors ACE/SWEPAM and WIND/SWE, and represent a continuous data set that can be used in conjunction with other SWICS data, or as a stand-alone measurement. For details on the SWICS proton data, see the release notes provided by the instrument team: http://www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE/ASC/DATA/level2/ssprotons/swics_protons_release_notes.txt

This ACE SWICS/SWIMS Data Set contains actual Charge State, Q, Distributions of Carbon, Oxygen, Neon, Magnesium, Silicon and Iron as opposed to the averaged Charge States that have been available on CDAWeb for some time. The Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS), prior to August 23, 2011 and denoted as SWICS Version 1.1, determines uniquely the Chemical and Ionic Charge State Composition of the Solar Wind, the Temperatures and Mean Speeds of major Solar Wind Ions at all Speeds above 300 km/s for Protons and 170 km/s for Fe+16, and resolves Protons and Helium Isotopes of Solar and Interstellar Sources. SWICS 1.1 measures the Distribution Functions of Interstellar Cloud Pick-Up Ions and Interplanetary Dust Cloud Pick-Up Ions up to Energies of 100 keV/e. The ACE SWICS 1.1 Data Products represent a new Release of the Data with significantly improved Time Series Measurements for the Elemental Abundance, Charge State Composition, and Kinetic Properties of Heavy Ions in the Solar Wind. It is a major new Update produced with completely redesigned Analysis Methods to account more rigorously for Instrumental and Statistical Effects (Shearer et al., 2014). Rare Elements are now identified more reliably and Estimates of Statistical Error are provided. Release Notes are available that describe the Data, the Methods used to determine the Data Values, and Issues concerning Data Quality and Measurement Uncertainty. The Quality of ACE Level 2 Data is such that it is suitable for serious Scientific Study. However, to avoid Confusion and Misunderstanding, it is recommended that Users consult with the appropriate ACE Team Members before publishing Work derived from the Data. The ACE Team has worked hard to ensure that the Level 2 Data are free from Errors, but the Team cannot accept Responsibility for Erroneous Data, or for Misunderstandings about how the Data may be used. This is especially true if the appropriate ACE Team Members are not consulted before Publication. At the very least, Preprints should be forwarded to the ACE Team before Publication. For more Information about the SWICS Instrument, visit the SWICS Home Page at http://solar-heliospheric.engin.umich.edu/ace.

Solar Wind Ion parameters from ACE/SWEPAM. Level 2 data, 64-second averages. Parameters include proton density, temperature (radial component) and flow speed, flow velocity vector in GSE, GSM and RTN coordinates, and alpha to proton density ratio. ACE position vectors in GSE and GSM are included. The data are accessible via ftp in HDF and CDF from the ACE Science Center and CDAWeb, respectively, and in ASCII format from the value-added interfaces at those sites. Hourly averaged L2 plasma parameters are also available from these access paths. The "parameter keys" given below are as used by CDAWeb.

This ACE SWICS/SWIMS Data Set contains the Alpha Particle Number Density, Fe/O Abundance Ratio, C, O, Mg, Si, Fe Average Charge States, C+6/C+4, C+6/C+5, O+7/O+6 Charge State Ratios, He+2, C+5, O+6, Fe+10 Speeds and Thermal Speeds, and a Solar Wind Type Parameter that characterizes the Solar Wind as either Streamer, Coronal Hole, Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), or Unidentified. The Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS), prior to August 23, 2011 and denoted as SWICS Version 1.1, determines uniquely the Chemical and Ionic Charge State Composition of the Solar Wind, the Temperatures and Mean Speeds of major Solar Wind Ions at all Speeds above 300 km/s for Protons and 170 km/s for Fe+16, and resolves Protons and Helium Isotopes of Solar and Interstellar Sources. SWICS 1.1 measures the Distribution Functions of Interstellar Cloud Pick-Up Ions and Interplanetary Dust Cloud Pick-Up Ions up to Energies of 100 keV/e. The ACE SWICS 1.1 Data Products represent a new Release of the Data with significantly improved Time Series Measurements for the Elemental Abundance, Charge State Composition, and Kinetic Properties of Heavy Ions in the Solar Wind. It is a major new Update produced with completely redesigned Analysis Methods to account more rigorously for Instrumental and Statistical Effects (Shearer et al., 2014). Rare Elements are now identified more reliably and Estimates of Statistical Error are provided. Release Notes are available that describe the Data, the Methods used to determine the Data Values, and Issues concerning Data Quality and Measurement Uncertainty. The Quality of ACE Level 2 Data is such that it is suitable for serious Scientific Study. However, to avoid Confusion and Misunderstanding, it is recommended that Users consult with the appropriate ACE Team Members before publishing Work derived from the Data. The ACE Team has worked hard to ensure that the Level 2 Data are free from Errors, but the Team cannot accept Responsibility for Erroneous Data, or for Misunderstandings about how the Data may be used. This is especially true if the appropriate ACE Team Members are not consulted before Publication. At the very least, Preprints should be forwarded to the ACE Team before Publication. For more Information about the SWICS Instrument, visit the SWICS Home Page at http://solar-heliospheric.engin.umich.edu/ace.

Wind SWE electron moments included in this data set are derived from the velocity moments integration of solar wind electron distributions measured by the Wind/SWE VEIS instrument (see Ogilvie et al., "SWE, a comprehensive plasma instrument for the WIND spacecraft", Space Sci. Rev., 71, 55, 1955). Moments parameters are computed from 3s measurements which are spaced either 6s or 12s in time. The moments parameters which will be of value to most users of this data set are the electron temperature, the electron temperature anisotropy, and the electron heat flux vector. These quantities are reliable and citable with caution, meaning that the PI advises that the user should discuss their interpretation with a member of the SWE science team before publishing. The following comments are intended to aid in the use and interpretation of the prime quantities of this data set, the electron temperature, the electron temperature anisotropy, and the electron heat flux. (All vector quantities are in GSE coordinates.) The temperature and temperature anisotropy are normalized to the derived electron density and, therefore, are not sensitive to the uncertainty in the density determination as discussed below. The electron temperature is derived from the pressure tensor divided by the electron density and the Boltzmann constant. The three eigenvalues of the diagonalized temperature tensor are the temperature parallel to the tensor principal axis and the two perpendicular components of the temperature. The temperature anisotropy is defined here as the ratio of the parallel temperature to the average of the two perpendicular temperature components. The electron temperature is one-third of the trace of the diagonalized temperaturetensor. Also included is the unit vector along the principal axis of the pressure tensor as well as the cosine of the angle between the principal axis and the magnetic field vector. An indication that the principal axis has been uniquely defined is that the temperature anisotropy is significantly different from unity and that the principal axis and the magnetic field are nearly parallel or anti-parallel.The heat flux vector included here is significant only when the magnitude rises above the noise level, i.e., above the level 0.002 to 0.005 ergs/cm/cm/s. The heat flux may be low in magnitude either due to a nearly isotropic distribution, due to electron counter-streaming, or due to a low counting rate of the instrument. An indicator of a significant net heat flux is that the heat flux direction should track with the magnetic field direction. For this purpose, the cosine of the angle between the heat flux vector and the magnetic field is included, and should be close to -1 or +1 in order for the heat flux to be significant. In some cases it will be necessary to use electron pitch angle distributions (available on request from the SWE team) to decide whether low electron flux or counterstreaming account for a low net heat flux. It is also strongly recommended that 3s magnetic field data from the WIND/MFI experiment (not included in this data set) be used inconjunction with the SWE electron heat flux data to ensure a correct interpretation of the heat flux. The electron density and electron bulk flow velocity are also included in this data set but no claim is made for their accuracy. The electron flow velocity is usually within 10% to 20% of the solar wind flow velocity derived from the SWE Faraday cup experiment and which are found in the SWE key parameter data set. The electron density, however, cannot be absolutely determined due to the spacecraft potential and the fact that the electron instrument response has varied over time. The electron density determination includes a first order attempt to determine the spacecraft potential by imposing the charge neutrality condition on the derived electron density and Faraday cup ion density. The electron density will be within a few percent of the solar wind density derived from

This ACE SWICS/SWIMS Data Set contains the Alpha Particle Number Density, He/O, C/O, Ne/O, Mg/O, Si/O, Fe/O Abundance Ratios, C, O, Mg, Si, Fe Average Charge States, C+6/C+4, C+6/C+5, O+7/O+6 Charge State Ratios, He+2, C+5, O+6, Fe+10 Speeds and Thermal Speeds, and a Solar Wind Type Parameter that characterizes the Solar Wind as either Streamer, Coronal Hole, Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), or Unidentified. The Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer (SWICS), prior to August 23, 2011 and denoted as SWICS Version 1.1, determines uniquely the Chemical and Ionic Charge State Composition of the Solar Wind, the Temperatures and Mean Speeds of major Solar Wind Ions at all Speeds above 300 km/s for Protons and 170 km/s for Fe+16, and resolves Protons and Helium Isotopes of Solar and Interstellar Sources. SWICS 1.1 measures the Distribution Functions of Interstellar Cloud Pick-Up Ions and Interplanetary Dust Cloud Pick-Up Ions up to Energies of 100 keV/e. The ACE SWICS 1.1 Data Products represent a new Release of the Data with significantly improved Time Series Measurements for the Elemental Abundance, Charge State Composition, and Kinetic Properties of Heavy Ions in the Solar Wind. It is a major new Update produced with completely redesigned Analysis Methods to account more rigorously for Instrumental and Statistical Effects (Shearer et al., 2014). Rare Elements are now identified more reliably and Estimates of Statistical Error are provided. Release Notes are available that describe the Data, the Methods used to determine the Data Values, and Issues concerning Data Quality and Measurement Uncertainty. The Quality of ACE Level 2 Data is such that it is suitable for serious Scientific Study. However, to avoid Confusion and Misunderstanding, it is recommended that Users consult with the appropriate ACE Team Members before publishing Work derived from the Data. The ACE Team has worked hard to ensure that the Level 2 Data are free from Errors, but the Team cannot accept Responsibility for Erroneous Data, or for Misunderstandings about how the Data may be used. This is especially true if the appropriate ACE Team Members are not consulted before Publication. At the very least, Preprints should be forwarded to the ACE Team before Publication. For more Information about the SWICS Instrument, visit the SWICS Home Page at http://solar-heliospheric.engin.umich.edu/ace.

This Data Product contains Measurements from the ACE Solar Wind Electron Proton Alpha Monitor (SWEPAM) Instrument. The Quality of the ACE Level 2 Data are such that it is suitable for serious Scientific Study. However, to avoid Confusion and Misunderstanding, it is recommended that Users consult with the appropriate ACE Team Members before publishing Work derived from the Data. The ACE Team has worked hard to ensure that the Level 2 Data are free from Errors, but the Team cannot accept Responsibility for erroneous Data, or for Misunderstandings about how the Data may be used. This is especially true if the appropriate ACE Team Members are not consulted before Publication. At the very least, Preprints should be forwarded to the ACE Team before Publication. SWEPAM References: https://izw1.caltech.edu/ACE/

Averaged Wind SWE electron pitch angle data (12-15 seconds rate) from a later mode (post-VEIS-era) of the electron instrument. The electron pitch-angle distribution averages included in this data set are derived from integrating the electron pitch-angle distributions measured by the Wind/SWE electron instrument (see Ogilvie et al., "SWE, a comprehensive plasma instrument for the Wind spacecraft", Space Sci. Rev., 71, 55, 1995). Averages of phase-space density (f) over key regions of the unit sphere (the set of all possible electron velocity directions) are computed from 9s measurements which are usually separated by one or more 3s spin-periods. These quantities are reliable and citable with caution, meaning that the PI advises that the user should discuss their interpretations with a member of the SWE science team before publishing. The following comments are intended to aid in the use and interpretation of the averages reported in this data set. We begin this analysis with a measure of f for each pitch-angle bin, six degrees in width, from 0 degrees (flux nearly parallel to B) to 180 degrees (flux nearly anti-parallel with B). The f values for pitch-angles from 0-90 degrees (parallel streaming) are integrated (with angluar weighting and assumptions of gyrotropy) over this half-sphere, then averaged by dividing out the 2-pi solid angle of the half-sphere; the result being referred to as the 'f_para' average. Similarly, the 'f_perp' (flux nearly perpendicular to B) average is the result of integrating f for pitch-angles from 60-120 degrees (a region also 2-pi in solid angle). Next, the 'f_anti' (flux nearly anti-parallel to B) average covers the half-sphere of "backward" streaming electrons; having pitch-angles from 90-180 degrees. Finally, the 'f_omni' (omni-directional) average provides the integral of f over the full sphere, divided by the full 4-pi solid angle; providing a measure of total electron flux into the region of observation. The above analysis is carried out for each of 13 energy channels: E = 19.34, 38.68, 58.03, 77.37, 96.71, 116.1, 193.4, 290.1, 425.5, 580.3, 773.7, 1006., and 1238. eV. For reference, the electron speeds ( V , in cm/s) corresponding to these energies are reported in this data set. Hence the data set reported here contains: f_para, f_perp, f_anti, f_omni (for each of 13 values of E), and the 13 values of V (constant, included for reference).

SWE is a comprehensive plasma instrument for the WIND spacecraft, see K.W.Ogilvie, et al., Space Sci. Rev., 71, 55-77, 1995. This product provides solar wind proton parameters, including anisotropic temperatures, derived by non-linear fitting of the measurements and with moment techniques. Data reported within this product do not exceed the limits of various parameters listed in the following section. There may be more valid data in the original dataset that requires additional work to interpret but were discarded due to the limits. In particular we have tried to exclude non-solar wind data from these files. We provide the one sigma uncertainty for each parameter produced by the non-linear curve fitting analysis either directly from the fitting or by propagating uncertainties for bulk speeds, flow angles or any other derived parameter. For the non-linear anisotropic proton analysis, a scalar thermal speed is produced by determining parallel and perpendicular temperatures, taking the trace, Tscalar = (2Tperp + Tpara)/3 and converting the result back to a thermal speed. The uncertainties are also propagated through.

Averaged Wind SWE electron pitch angle data (6-12 seconds rate) from an earlier mode (VEIS-era) of the electron instrument. The electron pitch-angle distribution averages included in this data set are derived from integrating the electron pitch-angle distributions measured by the Wind/SWE electron instrument (see Ogilvie et al., "SWE, a comprehensive plasma instrument for the Wind spacecraft", Space Sci. Rev., 71, 55, 1995). Averages of phase-space density (f) over key regions of the unit sphere (the set of all possible electron velocity directions) are computed from 3s measurements which are spaced either 6s or 12s in time. These quantities are reliable and citable with caution, meaning that the PI advises that the user should discuss their interpretations with a member of the SWE science team before publishing. The following comments are intended to aid in the use and interpretation of the averages reported in this data set. We begin this analysis with a measure of f for each pitch-angle bin, six degrees in width, from 0 degrees (flux nearly parallel to B) to 180 degrees (flux nearly anti-parallel with B). The f values for pitch-angles from 0-90 degrees (parallel streaming) are integrated (with angluar weighting and assumptions of gyrotropy) over this half-sphere, then averaged by dividing out the 2-pi solid angle of the half-sphere; the result being referred to as the 'f_para' average. Similarly, the 'f_perp' (flux nearly perpendicular to B) average is the result of integrating f for pitch-angles from 60-120 degrees (a region also 2-pi in solid angle). Next, the 'f_anti' (flux nearly anti-parallel to B) average covers the half-sphere of "backward" streaming electrons; having pitch-angles from 90-180 degrees. Finally, the 'f_omni' (omni-directional) average provides the integral of f over the full sphere, divided by the full 4-pi solid angle; providing a measure of total electron flux into the region of observation. The above analysis is carried out for each of 16 energy channels ranging from about 10 eV to as much as 3 keV. The exact energies at which observations are made is time-varying, and this data set reports the electron speeds each channel observes ( V , in cm/s, along with the observations themselves) at any time. Hence the data set reported here contains: f_para, f_perp, f_anti, f_omni (for each of 16 values of V ), and the 16 values of V (time-varying, although usually much more slowly than the order of a day).