How to Get Data
The MMS web services provide a RESTful HTTPS API for accessing most of the data files stored on the MMS SDC filesystem. They can be used for web or desktop applications needing to read the science, housekeeping, ancillary, or SITL burst data management files stored and indexed by the SDC. Most of these files are in CDF format; some, especially those used by the SITL team, are in IDL SAV file format. For the SITL calls, IDL wrappers (sitl_tools) are available for making these web service calls.
In addition the web services discussed on this page, the SDC provides three additional methods for accessing data to meet the needs of the community.
- For direct access to single files, the SDC data directories are available for browsing. Files within may be downloaded and saved locally via your web browser.
- The SDC also provides a robust set of web services through a RESTful HTTPS API for accessing most science and ancillary data files. These services may be used by the community to access MMS data in the method that best fills their own needs. Full documentation and examples of the web services may be found below.
- The web services are also available via an interactive GUI interface on the Search page of this website.
- Finally, the most recently processed data files for each of the SMART instrument suites are listed and available for download on the following pages. These pages are particularly useful for those interested seeing the most
recently available data at multiple processing levels and provide information regarding the contents of the files as well.
MMS web services enable easy access to science and ancillary data. General descriptions of these services follow, while the optional parameters used to constrain the returned results for all services are explained to the right. Examples for all services follow.
Science Data
To return a comma-separated list of science filenames that are available for download:
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_names/science
To return a json-formatted string of science filenames that are available for download:
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_info/science
To return a json-formatted string of the highest revision available for each type of data.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/version_info/science
To download one or more science files matching given constraints. If there is a single file, it is downloaded as is. If there are multiple files, they are compressed into a zip file and downloaded in that format. At most 500 files of total size 1GB will be sent at once.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/download/science
Ancillary Data
To return a comma-separated list of ancillary filenames that are available for download.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_names/ancillary
To returns a json-formatted string of ancillary filenames that are available for download.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_info/ancillary
To download one or more ancillary files matching given constraints. If there is a single file, it is downloaded as is. If there are multiple files, they are compressed into a zip file and downloaded in that format. At most 500 files of size 1GB will be sent at once.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/download/ancillary
To return a comma-separated list of housekeeping filenames that are available for download.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_names/hk
To return a json-formatted string of housekeeping filenames that are available for download.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_info/hk
To download one or more housekeeping files matching given constraints. If there is a single file, it is downloaded as is. If there are multiple files, they are compressed into a zip file and downloaded in that format. At most 500 files of total size 1GB will be sent at once.
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/download/hk
Any of the web services may be constrained by the following query parameters. These limit the files that are listed or downloaded and may be used in conjunction with one another to limit the returned listings or files.
file or files
Specify an exact filename or a comma-separated list of filenames.
No path is expected. Only the latest version of a file will be downloaded.
If you specify an older version, no file will be returned.
Example: file=mms2_scm_fast_l1a_scf_20150410_v3.2.0.cdf
sc_id or sc_ids
Specify a particular observatory or a comma-separated list of observatories.
Example: sc_ids=mms1,mms2
instrument_id or instrument_ids
Specify a particular instrument or a comma-separated list of instruments.
Current instrument_ids in the science metadata: afg, aspoc, dfg, dsp, edi, edp, fields, scm, sdp
Example: instrument_id=fields
data_rate_mode or data_rate_modes
Specify a particular data rate or a comma-separated list of data rates.
Current modes: slow, fast, brst, srvy
Example: data_rate_mode=brst
data_level or data_levels
Specify a particular data level or a comma-separated list of data levels.
Current levels: l1a, l1b, l2, ql
Example: data_level=l1a
descriptor or descriptors
Specify an instrument-specific descriptor or a comma-separated list of descriptors.
Not all data products use descriptors.
Current descriptors: 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 17a, 17b, ace, amb, bpsd, cal, dce, dcv, epsd, hmfe, lfb, memdmp, scb, scf, schb, scm, scs, swd, tdn
Example: descriptor=memdmp
version or versions
Specify a data version or comma-separated list of versions.
Example: version=1.0.2
product or products
Specify, for ancillary files only, the type of ancillary product or a comma-separated list of products
Current products: defeph, defatt, predatt, predeph, radpred, manplan, timeline
Example: product=predeph
start_date
The earliest date (based on the filename metadata) to match files.
Example: start_date=2015-04-10
end_date
The latest date (based on the filename metadata) to match files. The date is not inclusive, but represents the 00:00:00 UTC time on that date. If you wish to query a full day of files, specify the day beyond the start_date for the end_date.
For ancillary files, end_date is interpreted differently. Because ancillary files can have both a start and end date, the end_date portion of the ancillary filename must end no later than the specified end_date constraint.
Example: end_date=2015-04-15
Get a list of all the science files for observatory mms2 on the day 2015-04-10
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/file_names/science?start_date=2015-04-10&end_date=2015-04-11&sc_id=mms2
Download a single science file:
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/download/science?file=mms2_scm_fast_l1a_scf_20150410_v3.2.0.cdf
Download all ancillary files for product PREDEPH (Predicted Ephemeris) in a date range:
https://lasp.colorado.edu/mms/sdc/public/files/api/v1/download/ancillary?start_date=2015-03-23&end_date=2015-03-30&product=predeph