Geomagnetic Absolute Observation by Applied Vector Proton Method
Tokumoto, T.
Abstract
A new methodofabsoluteobservation ofthreegeomagneticfieldcomponentsbya device composed of a geomagnetic total force magnetometer combined with three orthogonalcoils to produce a compensating magnetic field was investigated.A vector proton method is an excellentmethod to measure vectorcomponents ofgeomagnetic fields;however it cannot serve as a magnetic absolute observation because ofthe inclinationofthecompensatingcoilanditsfluctuationovertime.Thisstudyconsidereda new methodbasedonthevectorprotonmethod.Absolutemagneticfieldsandorientation ofcompensating coilsare calculated from measured valuesofmagnetictotalforcesfor certain patterns ofartificialmagnetic fields added to each component by the three orthogonalcompensatingcoils.
Assuming thatresolution and stability ofthe geomagnetictotalforce magnetometer and electric currentthrough the coils are adequate,three components ofgeomagnetic absolute fields could be measured by the new method with a degree ofprecision comparabletomagnetometersincurrentuse.
Translated to English from paper in Japanese, originally published in: Technical Report of the Kakioka Magnetic Observatory, Vol.5, No.1, 1-9, 2008 with permission of the authors.
