The Magnetometer (MAG) is a part of the Particles and Fields (P & F) Package and measures interplanetary solar wind and ionospheric magnetic fields.
Goals:
- Measure vector magnetic field
- Characterize solar wind interaction
- Support particles and fields package (ions, electrons, energetic particles & waves)
Observations:
- Vector magnetic field in the unperturbed solar wind (B ~ 3 nT), magnetosheath (B ~ 10-50 nT), and crustal magnetospheres (B < 3000 nT), with the ability to spatially resolve crustal magnetic cusps (horizontal length scales of ~100 km)
Technical details and heritage:
- Two sensors, outboard of solar array
- Magnetic field over a dynamic range of ~60,000 nT; resolution 0.05 nT
- 32 samples/sec intrinsic sample rate averaged and decimated as necessary
- Sensor scale factor accuracy of 0.05%
- Heritage from MGS, Voyager, AMPTE, GIOTTO, CLUSTER, Lunar Prospector, MESSENGER , STEREO, Juno, and Van Allen Probes
Instrument publications: (sorted by most recent at top)
- Global-scale External Magnetic Fields at Mars Measured at Satellite Altitude
(Journal of Geophysical Research—Planets article—published online May 2017)—Download PDF (3 MB) - First results of the MAVEN magnetic field investigation
(Geophysical Research Letters article—published online November 2015)—Download PDF (2 MB) - The MAVEN Magnetic Field Investigation
(Space Science Reviews article—published online June 2015)—Download PDF (7 MB)
Jack Connerney (GSFC) is the instrument lead for the MAG. For more about Connerney, visit: http://1.usa.gov/jecbio.
[VIDEO] Measuring Mars: The MAVEN Magnetometer
MAVEN Science Community Workshop Presentation
(Dec. 2, 2012)