Development of a Fluxgate Magnetometer Model

Author

Eleonora Olsmats, University of New Hampshire, DurhamFollow

Date of Award

Spring 2022

Project Type

Senior Honors Thesis

College or School

CEPS

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Program or Major

Engineering Physics

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

First Advisor

Matthew Argall

Abstract

As a part of the UNH SWFO-L1 mission to monitor space weather and the sun’s behavior, the fluxgate magnetometer is an important component to measure external magnetic fields. The basic principle of a fluxgate magnetometer is to detect changes in the ambient magnetic field by inducing a magnetic field in a ferromagnetic material via a drive winding. Each magnetometer is unique due to the ferromagnetic properties of the core material which can be seen in the hysteresis loop which is a relationship between the magnetic field strength (H) and the induced magnetic field (B). Measuring the hysteresis of a fluxgate magnetometer is important because the uniqueness of each magnetometer makes them difficult to model. In this project I am taking laboratory measurements from a fluxgate magnetometer to determine its hysteresis loop. Future projects will use this data and a similar setup of the SWFO-L1 magnetometer to compare to existing models and create a performance model.

Recommended Citation

Olsmats, Eleonora, "Development of a Fluxgate Magnetometer Model" (2022). Honors Theses and Capstones. 688.
https://scholars.unh.edu/honors/688