PDS_VERSION_ID = PDS3 RECORD_TYPE = STREAM OBJECT = TEXT PUBLICATION_DATE = 2015-03-06 NOTE = "AAREADME.TXT describes this volume." END_OBJECT = TEXT END MESSENGER Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer Uncalibrated Data MESSEPPS_002 Prepared for the Planetary Plasma Interactions Node of the Planetary Data System ======================================================================== Introduction ======================================================================== This volume contains data from the MESSENGER Energetic Particle and Plasma Spectrometer (EPPS) uncalibrated data volume set. Note that the EPPS is made up of two instrument subsystems, the Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS), and the Energetic Particle Spectrometer (EPS). This volume contains the uncalibrated Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer (FIPS) instrument data. This volume is intended for the use of scientists and students in the study of the of the planet Mercury. The data may be used for research and publication. ======================================================================== Volume Format ======================================================================== The volume is organized into a hierarchical directory structure. It is transferred from the MESSENGER SOC to the Planetary Plasma Interactions Node via the TCP/IP File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and thus the physical characteristics of the final storage media are unknown to the SOC. All science data are located under the DATA directory. The INDEX directory contains a listing of all of the data products included on this volume. The CATALOG directory contains PDS documentation describing the mission, spacecraft, instrument, and data set. These include: MESS_MISSION.CAT MESSENGER mission description MESS_INST_HOST.CAT MESSENGER spacecraft description MESS_EPPS_INST.CAT EPPS instrument description MESS_EPPSFIPS_DS.CAT EPPS uncalibrated data set description MESS_REF.CAT MESSENGER mission reference information, including EPPS references. MESS_PERSON.CAT MESSENGER mission personnel contact information including EPPS personnel, identified as such. ======================================================================== File Formats ======================================================================== The data files on this volume are provided in flat IEEE binary format (extension .DAT). Each data file is also accompanied by a detached PDS label file (extension .LBL), an ASCII file containing information describing the data file and data record format. Catalog files (extension .CAT) are provided in ASCII format. Document files describing the volume and the data are included. Text files and detached label files contain 80-byte fixed-length ASCII records, with a carriage-return character (ASCII 13) in the 79th byte and a line-feed character (ASCII 10) in the 80th byte. This format allows the files to be read by MacOS, DOS, UNIX and VMS operating systems. Note that while both label and catalog files are ASCII, some operating systems will not recognize the .LBL and .CAT extensions as ASCII types. It may be necessary to either remap these extensions as ASCII in the system or text browser, or else to open the files from within the text browser. ======================================================================== Volume Contents ======================================================================== Directory Structure and Contents for this Data Volume The following illustration shows the directory structure overview for this Data Archive Volume. This volume contains the data products, supporting documentation and any additional files required for the volume to be compliant with PDS standards. The content of the volume is expected to be updated with periodic releases according to the schedule found in the MESSENGER Data Management and Archiving Plan (DMAP). Revised EDRs (if needed) will also be delivered according to the same schedule. Revised EDRs will have an incremented version number in the PDS label. Data Volume Directory Structure Overview MESSEPPS_002 ___________________________|______________________________ | | | | | | | | __|_____________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | Directory Contents: MESSEPPS_002 Directory This is the top-level directory of the data volume. The following are files contained in the root directory. AAREADME.TXT: (This file) General information file. Provides users with information about the MESSENGER EPPS data products. Directs user to other documents on the volume containing more detailed information. VOLDESC.CAT: PDS file containing the VOLUME object. This gives a high level description of the contents of the volume. Information includes: production date, producer name and institution, volume ID, etc. ERRATA.TXT: Text file for identifying and describing errors and/or anomalies found in the current volume, and possibly previous volumes of a set. Any known errors for the associated volume will be documented in this file. This includes revised EDRs meant to replace EDRs in a previous PDS delivery. CHECKSUMS.TXT Directory This top level directory contains the EDR data products. Directly underneath the directory are subdirectories corresponding to the nine standard data products (described in section 5.2 of the EPPS EDR SIS). The directories are further subdivided into YEAR and MONTH directories. Each MONTH directory contains not only the data and label files associated with the date and data type, but also a *.FMT file that contains the definition of the EDR files within the directory. The file is named after the data product in the directory. Directory This subdirectory contains the indices for the EPPS EDR data products. The following files are contained in the index subdirectory. INDXINFO.TXT - Identifies and describes the function of each file in the index subdirectory. This includes a description of the structure and contents of each index table in the subdirectory AND usage notes. INDEX.TAB - The EDR index file is organized as a table; there is one entry for each of the data files included in the two EPPS data sets; the columns contain parameters that describe the data as well as instrument and spacecraft parameters. INDEX.LBL - Detached PDS label for INDEX.TAB. DIRECTORY This will contain the calibration tables needed to analyze the EPPS EDR and CDR data. CALINFO.TXT Brief description of the directory contents and naming conventions. DIRECTORY This subdirectory contains the catalog object files for the entire volume. The following files are included in the catalog subdirectory. CATINFO.TXT: Identifies and describes the function of each file in the catalog directory. MESS_EPPSFIPS_DS.CAT: Describes the general content of the FIPS uncalibrated data set and includes information about the duration of the mission and the person or group responsible for producing the data. MESS_EPPS_INST.CAT: Describes physical attributes of the EPPS instrument and provides relevant references to published literature. MESS_INST_HOST.CAT: Describes the MESSENGER spacecraft. MESS_MISSION.CAT: Describes the scientific goals and objectives of the MESSENGER program. It also identifies key people and institutions. MESS_PERSON.CAT: Lists and provides contact information for the people involved in the MESSENGER mission, including those involved with EPPS. MESS_REF.CAT: Contains the reference objects. These reference additional documents that may be useful to the person using the EPPS data. < DOCUMENT > Directory This subdirectory contains the documentation that will be needed in order to understand and analyze this data volume. The documents are separated into individual subdirectories according to the document type. The following file is included in the subdirectory. DOCINFO.TXT: Identifies and describes the function of each file in the DOCUMENT directory. EDR_SIS/: Directory containing the EDR SIS document in various formats. ======================================================================= Related PDS Products ======================================================================= ======================================================================= Errata ======================================================================= Every effort has been made to ensure that the data and documentation are of the best possible quality. However, mistakes are inevitable. The Planetary Plasma Interactions (PPI) Node of the PDS will maintain an online list of ERRATA where errors and updates are documented. Should any user of this product find an error on this volume, please report the error to the (PPI) Node so that the finding can be made public. All users are encouraged to verify the correctness of the data prior to submitting any publications or other work based on these data. There is a file called ERRATA.TXT found at the root level of this volume which contains a list of known deficiencies or caveats associated with data on this volume at the time it was published. If you find an error on this disk, please report the error to the PDS Operator at the PPI Node of the PDS at the address or numbers listed under contacts below. ======================================================================== Contacts ======================================================================== For questions concerning these data products and documentation, contact: Planetary Plasma Interactions Node UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES INST. OF GEOPHYSICS AND PLANETARY PHYSICS 6707 GEOLOGY LOS ANGELES, CA 90095-1567 USA (310) 206-6073 WWW Site: http://pds-ppi.igpp.ucla.edu Email: pds_operator@igpp.ucla.edu For questions regarding PDS Standards or other archive volumes available from the PDS, please contact PDS Operator at the PDS Central Node (at JPL): Email pds_operator@jpl.nasa.gov Telephone (818) 354-4321 U.S. Mail Planetary Data System, PDS Operator Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mail Stop 202-101 4800 Oak Grove Dr. Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 A list of personnel in the MESSENGER EPPS team that were involved in the production of this volume is given in /CATALOG/MESS_PERSON.CAT The PDS, and the Planetary Plasma Interactions Node in particular, assume no legal liability for errors on this disk. All users are encouraged to verify the 'correctness' of the data prior to submitting any publications or other work based on these data. Errors on this volume should be reported back to the PPI Node of the PDS through the ERRATA reporting procedures described above.