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Magnetometer (MAG)

Magnetometer (MAG)

The MAVEN magnetometer sensor assembly includes a phenolic sensor block (brown), nested sense and feedback coils, and sensor printed circuit board. The sensor is provided with a (shielded) pigtail connector to insure that interconnect hardware is kept at a sensible distance from the sensor. (Courtesy NASA/GSFC)
The MAVEN magnetometer sensor assembly includes a phenolic sensor block (brown), nested sense and feedback coils, and sensor printed circuit board. The sensor is provided with a (shielded) pigtail connector to insure that interconnect hardware is kept at a sensible distance from the sensor. (Courtesy NASA/GSFC)

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)

Jack Connerney—MAG Instrument Lead
Jack Connerney—MAG Instrument Lead

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)

Magnetometer presentation (13.8 MB PDF)
Magnetometer presentation
(13.8 MB PDF)