A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetic field or magnetic dipole moment. Different types of magnetometers measure the direction, strength, or relative change of a magnetic field at a particular location.
In the aerospace context, a magnetometer is an instrument used to measure the strength and direction of a magnetic field. It is often used on spacecraft to study the magnetic fields of celestial bodies, such as planets and moons.
Magnetometers can be of different types and operate on different principles, some examples include:
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Scalar magnetometer: measures only the magnitude of the magnetic field, and not its direction.
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Vector magnetometer: measures both the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field.
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Proton precession magnetometer: a type of scalar magnetometer that uses the precession of protons in a magnetic field to measure the strength of the field.
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Overhauser magnetometer: a type of scalar magnetometer that uses the precession of electrons in a magnetic field to measure the strength of the field.
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Fluxgate magnetometer: a type of vector magnetometer that uses the principle of the fluxgate sensor to measure the strength and direction of the magnetic field.
Examples of magnetometer usage in space missions:
- Mariner 10, Venus and Mercury mission in 1973-1974, carried a vector magnetometer to study the magnetic field of Mercury.
- Galileo, Jupiter mission in 1989-2003, carried a vector magnetometer as part of its payload to study the magnetic field of Jupiter and its moons.
- Rosetta, Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko mission in 2004-2016, carried a vector magnetometer to study the magnetic field of the comet.
- MESSENGER, Mercury mission in 2004-2015, carried a vector magnetometer to study the magnetic field of Mercury.
Magnetometer data can provide valuable information about the magnetic fields of celestial bodies and can be used to study the interior structure and dynamics of these bodies, as well as their interaction with the solar wind and other solar system bodies.