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In-orbit calibration of the lunar magnetometer onboard SELENE (KAGUYA)

Earth, Planets and Space volume 61, pages 1269–1274 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The high-sensitivity fluxgate Lunar MAGnetometer (LMAG) is mounted on SELENE (KAGUYA) to investigate the near-surface electromagnetic environment and the evolution of the Moon through magnetic field observation. To avoid possible electromagnetic interferences, a triaxial fluxgate sensor (MGF-S) is installed at the far end of a 12-m-long mast. It is critical for the accurate observation to monitor MGF-S alignment in orbit, and thus we have calibrated the sensor alignment by measuring the known magnetic fields generated by the sensor alignment monitor coil (SAM-C) wound onto the mast canister. In-orbit calibration of the MGF-S alignment was performed twice each revolution during the initial check-out phase of the satellite. It is concluded that there is no systematic difference in the sensor alignment between the day-side and night-side. Applying a new technique based on the Davis-Smith method to the observed magnetic field data when KAGUYA was exposed to the solar wind, a zero offset of each axis was quickly and stably determined every month. As a result, LMAG has been calibrated with an accuracy that is sufficient for detection of the lunar magnetic anomaly at an altitude of 100 km and for high-resolution electron reflectometry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, 152-8551, Japan

    Futoshi Takahashi, Masaki Matsushima & Hideo Tsunakawa

  2. Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan

    Hisayoshi Shimizu

  3. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan

    Hidetoshi Shibuya

  4. Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 229-8510, Japan

    Ayako Matsuoka & Yuichi Iijima

  5. Lunar and Planetary Exploration Program Group, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8505, Japan

    Satoru Nakazawa & Hisashi Otake

Authors
  1. Futoshi Takahashi
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  2. Hisayoshi Shimizu
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  3. Masaki Matsushima
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  4. Hidetoshi Shibuya
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  5. Ayako Matsuoka
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  6. Satoru Nakazawa
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  7. Yuichi Iijima
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  8. Hisashi Otake
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  9. Hideo Tsunakawa
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Correspondence to Futoshi Takahashi.

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Takahashi, F., Shimizu, H., Matsushima, M. et al. In-orbit calibration of the lunar magnetometer onboard SELENE (KAGUYA). Earth Planet Sp 61, 1269–1274 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352979

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352979

Key words

  • SELENE (KAGUYA)
  • lunar magnetic field
  • magnetometer
  • in-orbit calibration