LunarLights58 Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 Satellites like SOHO, ACE,and DSCOVR that can detect solar activity and the solar wind environment in front of Earth, how do they do it? How do magnetometers tell us about the state of the geomagnetic field? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Newbie Posted December 19, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted December 19, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, LunarLights58 said: Satellites like SOHO, ACE,and DSCOVR that can detect solar activity and the solar wind environment in front of Earth, how do they do it? How do magnetometers tell us about the state of the geomagnetic field? Magnetometers utilise the properties of certain materials, including those with iron, to detect and measure the strength and direction of external magnetic fields. They act in the way a compass does, the compass needle aligns with the Earth's magnetic field and magnetometers use the magnetic properties of materials to sense and respond to surrounding magnetic fields in this case from the solar wind. The principles vary depending on the specific type of magnetometer, but the analogy to a compass provides the simplest explanation. There are a number of types of magnetometer, one of them is the Fluxgate magnetometer. These magnetometers are commonly employed in space missions due to their accuracy and ability to measure both weak and strong magnetic fields. They are robust and can withstand the harsh conditions of space. They operate on the principle of magnetic induction in a ferromagnetic core. When the core is subjected to an alternating magnetic field, it undergoes cyclic changes in its magnetisation and as the external magnetic field being measured varies, it affects the amplitude or phase of the induced signal. The magnitude of these changes corresponds to the strength of the external magnetic field. The sensors detect these changes in the core's magnetic state and the resulting signal is processed to determine the external magnetic field characteristics. N. Edited December 19, 2023 by Newbie Typo 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesterface23 Posted December 19, 2023 Share Posted December 19, 2023 If I remember correctly there are 3 sensors that observe the magnetic field and at least some other solar wind properties. The square root of x^2+y^2+z^2 will give the total strength of the observed field. The measurements of the individual components are calculated from the Spacecraft values to a coordinate system like GSM or GSE. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunarLights58 Posted December 19, 2023 Author Share Posted December 19, 2023 How do they measure the speed and density of the solar wind? What can measure the density of space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Newbie Posted December 19, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted December 19, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, LunarLights58 said: How do they measure the speed and density of the solar wind? What can measure the density of space? The instruments that perform these operations are often part of larger payloads on solar and heliophysics missions. The Solar Wind Plasma Analyser measures the speed and density of solar wind particles (protons, electrons, and ions). It typically consists of sensors like electrostatic analysers and Faraday cups. Electrostatic analysers determine the energy and direction of incoming charged particles. Faraday cups (metal cups) quantify the density of particles by measuring the electric current produced when charged particles (ions) are collected as the solar wind passes through the sensor. Then there is the Solar Wind Ion Composition Spectrometer This instrument is specifically designed to analyze the composition and density of ions in the solar wind. It helps identify different types of ions present in the solar wind, providing insight into its composition. Measuring the density of space involves different techniques depending on what specifically you are trying to measure. In the context of space, density can refer to various things such as the density of interstellar gas, the density of particles in a plasma, or even the density of galaxies in a region. The instruments mentioned above are used to measure the density of particles in plasma. N. Edited December 19, 2023 by Newbie 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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