- Article
- Published:
On the calibration of a vectorial 4He pumped magnetometer
Earth, Planets and Space volume 53, pages 949–958 (2001)
Abstract
The prototype of a 4He pumped vector magnetometer is presented. Large auxiliary coils systems used in previously developed apparatus to allow vector measurements from a scalar (atomic or nuclear resonance) sensor are replaced by a light triaxial modulation system associated with advanced techniques of signal processing. The performances of the helium scalar sensor are first briefly recalled; then the principle of the vector measurement, obtained by adding three (approximately) orthogonal modulations of different frequencies (all of the order of 10 Hz) is explained. Afterwards a second part of the paper is devoted to the calibration process, and a first estimate of the performances of the vector magnetometer is obtained. They confirm that this instrument could be a good candidate for an automatic absolute magnetic observatory: after the calibration process completion and a proper installation, it would provide by itself the absolute value of three orthogonal components of the field. In addition to that, the 4He vector magnetometer appears to be also promising for space applications.
References
Alldredge, L. R., A proposed automatic standard magnetic observatory, J. Geophys. Res., 65, N11, 3777–3786, 1960.
Alldredge, L. R. and I. Saldukas, An automatic standard magnetic observatory, J. Geophys. Res., 69, N10, 1963–1970, 1964.
Colegrove, F. D. and L. D. Schearer, Optical pumping of helium in the 3S1 metastable state Physical Review, 119, 680–690, 1961.
Guttin, C, J.-M. Léger, and F. Stoeckel, Realization of an isotropic scalar magnetometer using optically pumped helium 4, Journal de Physique III, 4, 655–659, 1993.
Merayo, M. G., P. Brauer, F. Primdhal, J. R. Petersen, and O. V. Nielsen, Scalar calibation of vector magnetometer, Meas. Sci. Technol., 11, 120–132, 2000.
Nielsen, O. V, J. R. Petersen, F. Primdhal, P. Brauer, B. Hernando, A. Fernández, M. G. Merayo, and P. Ripka, Development, construction and analysis of the Orsted fluxgate magnetometer, Meas. Sci. Technol., 6, 1099–1115, 1995.
Olsen, N., L. Toffner-Clauden, T. Risbo, P. Brauer, J. Merayo, F. Primdhal, and T. Sabaka, In-Flight calibration methods used for the Oersted mission, in ESA SP on Space Magnetometer Calibration, 2000.
Press, C., S. Teukolsky, W. Vetterling, and B. Flannery, Numerical Recipes in C. Second edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1996.
Rasson, J. L., Proceedings of the VIth Workshop on Geomagnetic Observatory Instruments Data Acquisition and Processing, publication scientifique et technique n 003, Institut Royal Météorologique de Belgique, Avenue Circulaire 3, B-1180 Bruxelles.
Trigg, D. F. and R. L. Coles, Intermagnet, technical reference manual, 1999.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gravrand, O., Khokhlov, A., Le Mouël, J.L. et al. On the calibration of a vectorial 4He pumped magnetometer. Earth Planet Sp 53, 949–958 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03351692
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03351692