lacoak21 · Oct 29, 2026 · Oct 29, 2026 · Oct 30, 2026 · Oct 30, 2026 · Oct 30, 2026
diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/ancillary.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/ancillary.rst
@@ -125,11 +125,19 @@ Things to know:
 * ``collapse_*[id]["variables"]`` is used only by the aggregated-counters
   products, where each row is one counter and a row of zeros means "counter
   turned off in flight".
-* ``species_names`` is what the instrument actually sent;
-  ``desired_species_names`` is what the team wants written. L1A takes the union
-  of ``desired_species_names`` and the hard-coded ``*_VARIABLE_NAMES``, and
-  NaN-fills anything that is not in ``species_names``. This is how the P3 Fe
-  highQ/lowQ label swap is absorbed.
+* ``species_names`` is the slot map: position *i* is the species in slot *i*
+  of the decompressed data. It is how mislabeled telemetry is corrected - the
+  FSW "off by one" tables prepend a ``junk`` slot, and the P3 Fe highQ/lowQ
+  swap is a reordering of ``fe_hiq`` / ``fe_loq`` here.
+* For ``species.sw`` and ``ialirt.sw``, L1A does **not** read
+  ``desired_species_names``. The output variables are exactly
+  ``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` / ``LO_IALIRT_VARIABLE_NAMES``; each is
+  taken from its slot in ``species_names`` by name, or NaN-filled if it has no
+  slot. This keeps the variable set identical across SCI-LUT versions, which
+  L1B and L2 rely on since they only know the constants. Older SCI-LUTs still
+  list ``ne`` in ``species.sw.desired_species_names`` (it is ignored), and
+  ``imap_codice_l1a-sci-lut_20250731_20251123_v001`` has no
+  ``desired_species_names`` field at all.
 * ``lo_stepping_tab["row_number"]["data"]`` is the half-spin index per ESA step
   and can be **shorter than 128** (it is under the post-2025-12-18 scheme). L1A
   pads with ``HALF_SPIN_FILLVAL = 63`` and masks those steps to NaN.

diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/data-products.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/data-products.rst
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ the science and housekeeping APIDs are defined in the two XTCE files in
      - 0x484
      - ``COD_LO_SW_SPECIES_COUNTS``
      - yes
-     - Sunward species counts, 16 species, 128 ESA steps.
+     - Sunward species counts, 16 telemetry slots (15 species written to
+       the CDF; ``ne`` is dropped), 128 ESA steps.
    * - 1157
      - 0x485
      - ``COD_LO_NSW_SPECIES_COUNTS``
@@ -452,21 +453,26 @@ See :ref:`codice-ancillary` for the contents of each of these.
 Species inventories
 -------------------
 
-**[CODE]** ``constants.py``. These lists drive which CDF variables exist; the
-**actual** species ordering in the telemetry comes from the SCI-LUT and is
-cross-checked at L1A.
+**[CODE]** ``constants.py``. These lists drive which CDF variables exist, and
+they are the same for every date and SCI-LUT version. The **actual** species
+ordering in the telemetry comes from the SCI-LUT ``species_names`` and is used
+at L1A to find each species' slot; a species with no slot is NaN-filled. For
+``lo-sw-species`` and I-ALiRT Lo, the SCI-LUT ``desired_species_names`` is no
+longer read (see :ref:`codice-ancillary`).
 
 .. list-table::
    :header-rows: 1
    :widths: 34 66
 
    * - Constant
      - Members
-   * - ``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (16)
+   * - ``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (15)
      - ``hplus``, ``heplusplus``, ``cplus4``, ``cplus5``, ``cplus6``,
-       ``oplus5``, ``oplus6``, ``oplus7``, ``oplus8``, ``ne``, ``mg``, ``si``,
-       ``fe_loq``, ``fe_hiq``, ``heplus``, ``cnoplus``
-   * - ``LO_SW_SOLAR_WIND_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (14)
+       ``oplus5``, ``oplus6``, ``oplus7``, ``oplus8``, ``mg``, ``si``,
+       ``fe_loq``, ``fe_hiq``, ``heplus``, ``cnoplus``. ``ne`` is in the
+       telemetry and in some SCI-LUT ``desired_species_names`` lists, but is
+       not a product.
+   * - ``LO_SW_SOLAR_WIND_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (13)
      - the above minus ``heplus`` and ``cnoplus``
    * - ``LO_SW_PICKUP_ION_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (2)
      - ``heplus``, ``cnoplus``

diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/implementation-status.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/implementation-status.rst
@@ -251,6 +251,18 @@ read from the SCI-LUT, so turning one off is handled - but selecting a
 *different* rate type in flight would require a code change. The same applies to
 the seven Hi aggregated counters.
 
+Ne is not a Lo sunward species product
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+
+The document lists Ne among the sunward solar-wind species. The code drops it:
+``ne`` is not in ``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` or
+``LO_SW_SOLAR_WIND_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES``, so ``lo-sw-species`` has 15
+species at L1A/L1B and 13 solar-wind species at L2, for every date. The ``ne``
+slot is still in the telemetry and the SCI-LUT ``species_names``, and some
+SCI-LUT ``desired_species_names`` lists still include it; L1A ignores
+``desired_species_names`` so that every SCI-LUT version produces the same
+variables.
+
 Direct events skip L1B
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
@@ -316,9 +328,6 @@ Complete TODO inventory
      - Update the list of datasets that need geometric factors.
    * - ``codice_l2.py:1515``
      - "May not even need L2 files for these products" (the broken pass-through).
-   * - ``constants.py:806``
-     - Read the angular/priority/species variable name lists from the SCI-LUT
-       instead of hard-coding them.
 
 Test coverage
 -------------

diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/l1a.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/l1a.rst
@@ -337,10 +337,13 @@ intensities. This is an on-board issue; the ground cannot undo it. See
 is normally ``(1,)``. Output dims ``(epoch, esa_step, spin_sector)`` with
 ``spin_sector`` of length 1.
 
-Species selection is defensive: the module takes the union of the SCI-LUT's
-``desired_species_names`` and the hard-coded list, then for each wanted species
-either takes its index in ``actual_species_names`` or logs a warning and fills
-NaN. This absorbs the Fe highQ/lowQ label swap.
+Species selection: the output species are the hard-coded
+``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` (or ``LO_IALIRT_VARIABLE_NAMES``), the same for
+every SCI-LUT version. For each one the module either takes its index in the
+SCI-LUT ``species_names`` (``actual_species_names``) or logs a warning and fills
+NaN. ``desired_species_names`` is not read. The Fe highQ/lowQ label swap and the
+FSW "off by one" mislabeling are absorbed by ``species_names``, not by the
+species list.
 
 Uncertainty is ``sqrt(counts)``, matching **[DOC]**
 :math:`\sigma_j(l) = \sqrt{C_j(l)}`.

diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/l2.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/l2.rst
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ position 1, so use the geometric factor for **one** sector:
 Species: H+, He++, O5+, O6+, O7+, O8+, C4+, C5+, C6+, Ne, Mg, Si, Fe(low Q),
 Fe(high Q).
 
+**[CODE]** ``LO_SW_SOLAR_WIND_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` omits Ne, so the code
+produces 13 solar-wind species. See
+:ref:`codice-implementation-status`.
+
 **Sunward pickup ions** - isotropic over the sunward range, which is **5**
 azimuthal bins:
 

diff --git a/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/overview.rst b/docs/source/algorithm-code-documentation/codice/overview.rst
@@ -700,9 +700,9 @@ instrument team for later changes.
 .. warning::
 
    **[CODE]** The Fe highQ/lowQ label swap is handled indirectly: L1A reads the
-   species ordering from the SCI-LUT (``desired_species_names`` vs
-   ``actual_species_names``) and warns + fills with NaN when a wanted species is
-   absent. The comment in ``codice_l1a_lo_species.py`` calls this out as
+   species ordering (slot map) from the SCI-LUT ``species_names`` and looks up
+   each species in ``LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES`` by name, warning and filling
+   with NaN when one has no slot. The comment in ``codice_l1a_lo_species.py`` calls this out as
    handling "the bug in which the spacecraft was sending data down 'off by one'
    and getting mislabeled". If you see unexplained NaN species columns, check
    the SCI-LUT version first.

diff --git a/imap_processing/cdf/config/imap_codice_global_cdf_attrs.yaml b/imap_processing/cdf/config/imap_codice_global_cdf_attrs.yaml
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ imap_codice_l1a_lo-sw-species:
     Data_type: L1A_lo-sw-species>Level-1A Lo Sunward Species Counts Data
     Logical_source: imap_codice_l1a_lo-sw-species
     Logical_source_description: IMAP Mission CoDICE Lo Level-1A Sunward Species Counts Data
+    MODS:
+      - >-
+        Major version 2, Nov. 18, 2026 - Remove species data for "ne" and "unc_ne".
 
 imap_codice_l1a_lo-nsw-species:
     <<: *instrument_base
@@ -208,6 +211,9 @@ imap_codice_l1b_lo-sw-species:
     Data_type: L1B_lo-sw-species>Level-1B Lo Sunward Species Rates Data
     Logical_source: imap_codice_l1b_lo-sw-species
     Logical_source_description: IMAP Mission CoDICE Lo Level-1B Sunward Species Rates Data
+    MODS:
+      - >-
+        Major version 2, Nov. 18, 2026 - Remove species data for "ne" and "unc_ne".
 
 imap_codice_l1b_lo-nsw-species:
     <<: *instrument_base
@@ -240,6 +246,9 @@ imap_codice_l2_lo-sw-species:
   Data_type: L2_lo-sw-species>Level-2 Lo Sunward Species Intensities Data
   Logical_source: imap_codice_l2_lo-sw-species
   Logical_source_description: IMAP Mission CoDICE Lo Level-2 Sunward Species Intensity Data
+  MODS:
+    - >-
+      Major version 2, Nov. 18, 2026 - Remove species data for "ne" and "unc_ne".
 
 imap_codice_l2_lo-nsw-species:
   <<: *instrument_base

diff --git a/imap_processing/codice/codice_l1a_lo_species.py b/imap_processing/codice/codice_l1a_lo_species.py
@@ -77,23 +77,16 @@ def l1a_lo_species(
         actual_species_names = sci_lut_data["data_product_lo_tab"]["0"]["species"][
             "sw"
         ]["species_names"]
-        desired_species_names = set(
-            sci_lut_data["data_product_lo_tab"]["0"]["species"]["sw"][
-                "desired_species_names"
-            ]
-            + LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES
-        )
+        # The "desired_species" from the sci lut is no longer used.
+        # All codice lo sw CDFs should contain all the species in
+        # LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES regardless of what sci lut is used.
+        desired_species_names = LO_SW_SPECIES_VARIABLE_NAMES
         logical_source_id = "imap_codice_l1a_lo-sw-species"
     elif view_tab_obj.apid == CODICEAPID.COD_LO_IAL:
         actual_species_names = sci_lut_data["data_product_lo_tab"]["0"]["ialirt"]["sw"][
             "species_names"
         ]
-        desired_species_names = set(
-            sci_lut_data["data_product_lo_tab"]["0"]["ialirt"]["sw"][
-                "desired_species_names"
-            ]
-            + LO_IALIRT_VARIABLE_NAMES
-        )
+        desired_species_names = LO_IALIRT_VARIABLE_NAMES
         # Note: ialirt does not produce a cdf for l1a so this is arbitrary.
         logical_source_id = "imap_codice_l1a_lo-sw-species"
     else:

diff --git a/imap_processing/codice/codice_l2.py b/imap_processing/codice/codice_l2.py
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
     "oplus6": "O6+",
     "oplus7": "O7+",
     "oplus8": "O8+",
-    "ne": "Ne",
     "mg": "Mg",
     "si": "Si",
     "fe_loq": "Fe LoQ",

diff --git a/imap_processing/codice/constants.py b/imap_processing/codice/constants.py
@@ -803,7 +803,6 @@ class CODICEAPID(IntEnum):
 # ------L1B Constants------
 HI_ACQUISITION_TIME = 0.59916
 
-# TODO: in the future, read from sci-lut
 LO_SW_ANGULAR_VARIABLE_NAMES = ["hplus", "heplusplus", "oplus6", "fe_loq", "heplus"]
 LO_NSW_ANGULAR_VARIABLE_NAMES = ["heplusplus", "heplus"]
 LO_SW_PRIORITY_VARIABLE_NAMES = [
@@ -824,7 +823,6 @@ class CODICEAPID(IntEnum):
     "oplus6",
     "oplus7",
     "oplus8",
-    "ne",
     "mg",
     "si",
     "fe_loq",
@@ -910,7 +908,6 @@ class CODICEAPID(IntEnum):
     "oplus6",
     "oplus7",
     "oplus8",
-    "ne",
     "mg",
     "si",
     "fe_hiq",

diff --git a/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l1a.py b/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l1a.py
@@ -331,6 +331,9 @@ def test_lo_sw_species(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     processed_data = filter_day_boundary_data(processed_data, VALIDATION_FILE_DATE)
     # Compare only the common variables
     for variable in val_data.data_vars:
+        if variable in ["ne", "unc_ne"]:
+            # Ne is no longer being processed.
+            continue
         assert_allclose_fillaware(
             processed_data[variable].values,
             val_data[variable],
@@ -351,6 +354,9 @@ def test_lo_sw_species(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
             rtol=1e-5,
             err_msg=f"Mismatch in coordinate '{variable}'",
         )
+    # assert that neon is not in the processed data
+    assert "ne" not in processed_data.data_vars
+    assert "unc_ne" not in processed_data.data_vars
     processed_data.attrs["Data_version"] = "002"
     cdf_file = write_cdf(processed_data, terminate_on_warning=True)
     assert (

diff --git a/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l1b.py b/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l1b.py
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ def test_l1b_lo_sw_species(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     l1b_val_data = load_cdf(l1b_val_data)
     processed_data = process_codice_l1b(processed_l1a_file)
     for variable in l1b_val_data.data_vars:
+        if variable in ["ne", "unc_ne"]:
+            # Ne is no longer being processed.
+            continue
         np.testing.assert_allclose(
             processed_data[variable].values,
             l1b_val_data[variable].values,

diff --git a/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l2.py b/imap_processing/tests/codice/test_codice_l2.py
@@ -479,6 +479,9 @@ def test_codice_l2_sw_species_intensity(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     l2_val_data = load_cdf(l2_val_data)
 
     for variable in l2_val_data.data_vars:
+        # Ne is no longer being processed.
+        if variable in ["ne", "unc_ne"]:
+            continue
         np.testing.assert_allclose(
             processed_2_ds[variable].values,
             l2_val_data[variable].values,
@@ -517,9 +520,6 @@ def test_codice_l2_sw_species_intensity(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
         assert "DEPEND_1" not in energy_per_charge_attrs
 
 
-@pytest.mark.xfail(
-    reason="SPDF ISTP validation API is down. Remove this xfail marker when fixed."
-)
 @patch("imap_data_access.processing_input.ProcessingInputCollection.get_file_paths")
 def test_codice_l2_lo_de(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     mock_get_file_paths.side_effect = [
@@ -618,9 +618,6 @@ def test_codice_l2_lo_de(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     load_cdf(file)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.xfail(
-    reason="SPDF ISTP validation API is down. Remove this xfail marker when fixed."
-)
 @patch("imap_data_access.processing_input.ProcessingInputCollection.get_file_paths")
 def test_codice_l2_hi_de(mock_get_file_paths, codice_lut_path):
     mock_get_file_paths.side_effect = [