The Magsat precision vector magnetometer

Abstract

This paper examines the Magsat precision vector magnetometer which is designed to measure projections of the ambient field in three orthogonal directions. The system contains a highly stable and linear triaxial fluxgate magnetometer with a dynamic range of + or - 2000 nT (1 nT = 10 to the -9 weber per sq m). The magnetometer electronics, analog-to-digital converter, and digitally controlled current sources are implemented with redundant designs to avoid a loss of data in case of failures. Measurements are carried out with an accuracy of + or - 1 part in 64,000 in magnitude and 5 arcsec in orientation (1 arcsec = 0.00028 deg).