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6CCVD Research

Precision Magnetometers for Aerospace Applications - A Review

At a Glance

Section titled “At a Glance”
MetadataDetails
Publication Date2021-08-18
JournalSensors
AuthorsJames S Bennett, Brian E. Vyhnalek, Hamish Greenall, Elizabeth M. Bridge, Fernando Gotardo
InstitutionsGlenn Research Center, University of Queensland
Citations84
AnalysisFull AI Review Included

Precision Magnetometers for Aerospace Applications: A Review

Section titled “Precision Magnetometers for Aerospace Applications: A Review”

Executive Summary

Section titled “Executive Summary”

This review analyzes the state-of-the-art in precision magnetometry, focusing on the shift from heritage instruments to emerging optical sensors necessary for modern aerospace platforms.

  • SWaP Imperative: Traditional magnetometers (Fluxgate, Proton Precession) are reliable but often exceed the Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) budgets for small platforms like CubeSats, NanoSats, and extraterrestrial Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
  • Optical Readout Advantage: Emerging technologies—Atomic Vapor Cell (AVC), Spin Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF), Optomechanical, and Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) Diamond—leverage optical readout to achieve high sensitivity (pT to fT/Hz1/2) while drastically reducing SWaP.
  • Optomechanical Performance: Optomechanical magnetometers are highly competitive, demonstrating sensitivities of 26 pT/Hz1/2 with extremely low optical power consumption (~50 ”W), making them ideal for power-constrained drones and small orbital platforms.
  • NV Diamond Capabilities: NV magnetometers offer native vector capability and the highest spatial resolution (nanometer scale), enabling potential applications in nanoscale imaging of extraterrestrial biotic or prebiotic materials.
  • Navigation Enhancement: Miniaturized, high-sensitivity magnetometers are crucial for enabling magnetic navigation in GPS-denied environments, particularly for small UAVs conducting low-altitude surveys.
  • Heritage Role: Fluxgate magnetometers (FGMs) remain the tool of choice for high-visibility interplanetary missions (MAVEN, Juno, Psyche, Europa Clipper) due to their long-proven reliability and performance in harsh space environments.

Technical Specifications

Section titled “Technical Specifications”
ParameterValueUnitContext
Fluxgate (FGM) Sensitivity~10pT/Hz1/2Typical performance limit
FGM Resolution (GOES-R)0.016nTTriaxial FGM configuration
Overhauser Magnetometer Sensitivity~20pT/Hz1/2Danish Ørsted satellite
Overhauser Magnetometer Power3WDanish Ørsted satellite
Atomic Magnetometer (SERF) Sensitivity160aT/Hz1/2High-sensitivity lab demonstration
Atomic Magnetometer (Miniaturized) Mass<0.5kg87Rb SOS-CMOS chip design
Atomic Magnetometer (Miniaturized) Power<1W87Rb SOS-CMOS chip design
Optomechanical Magnetometer Sensitivity26pT/Hz1/2Best demonstrated field sensitivity (at 10.523 MHz)
Optomechanical Magnetometer Power~50”WOptical power consumption
Optomechanical Dynamic Range~100”TTypical range
NV Diamond Magnetometer Sensitivity0.9pT/Hz1/2Laboratory condition demonstration
SQUID Magnetometer SensitivitySub-fT/Hz1/2-High magnetic field sensitivity
SQUID Magnetometer Power (Sensor)~10fWDue to superconducting nature (excluding cryogenics)
Magnetostrictive (Optical Readout) Sensitivity10pT/Hz1/2Over 1 Hz to 100 Hz range
Magnetostrictive (Optical Readout) Mass~110gLow SWaP integrated device
NV Diamond Operating FrequencyDC up to a few GHzHzVaries with specific design

Key Methodologies

Section titled “Key Methodologies”

The review focuses on three primary emerging magnetometer families utilizing optical readout:

  1. Atomic Magnetometers (AMs/SERF):

    • Principle: Alkali atoms (K, Rb, Cs) are enclosed in a heated glass cell (~400 K) and optically pumped using a laser to align electron spins.
    • Detection: An external magnetic field causes the electron spins to precess (Larmor frequency). This precession is detected as a change in the polarization or amplitude of the transmitted light.
    • SERF Mode: Achieves ultra-high sensitivity by operating at high vapor density and elevated temperatures, suppressing spin-exchange relaxation. This mode requires magnetic shielding or active cancellation.

  2. Optomechanical Magnetometers:

    • Principle: Utilizes a mechanically-resonant structure (cavity) coated or filled with a magnetostrictive material (e.g., Terfenol-D).
    • Transduction: The external magnetic field induces strain in the magnetostrictive material, causing the mechanical structure to deform.
    • Detection: This deformation shifts the optical resonance frequency of the cavity, which is measured with high precision using laser light.

  3. Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) Diamond Magnetometers:

    • Principle: Based on the quantum properties of NV- defects (artificial atoms) embedded in a diamond crystal lattice.
    • Readout: Green laser light excites the defect, resulting in red photoluminescence (PL). The intensity of the PL is sensitive to the spin state of the defect.
    • Measurement: A microwave source drives transitions between the ground state spin sub-levels (ms = 0 and ms = ±1). The Zeeman splitting of these levels, which is proportional to the magnetic field, is measured via Optically Detected Magnetic Resonance (ODMR).

Commercial Applications

Section titled “Commercial Applications”

The technologies reviewed are critical for current and future aerospace and terrestrial engineering applications:

  • Interplanetary Science Missions:
    • Mapping planetary magnetic fields (e.g., Jupiter, Mars, Saturn systems).
    • Investigating atmospheric escape due to solar wind interactions (MAVEN).
    • Indirect detection of subsurface oceans (Europa Clipper, JUICE).
  • Small Satellite Platforms (CubeSats/NanoSats):
    • Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) requiring low SWaP (using miniaturized FGMs, AMR, or AVC sensors).
    • Distributed magnetic field networks for multi-point observations (e.g., characterizing Europa’s deep ocean).
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) & Drones:
    • High-resolution geomagnetic surveying and geological mapping.
    • Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) for locating Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and sea mines.
    • Precision navigation in GPS-denied or -jammed environments (e.g., Dark Ice technology using NV centers).
  • Space Weather and Monitoring:
    • Monitoring geomagnetic storms and magnetospheric effects (GOES series, Gateway HERMES).
    • Real-time support for rocket launch decisions.
  • Astronaut Health and Maintenance:
    • Non-invasive health monitoring (magnetocardiography, magnetoencephalography) using ultra-sensitive SERF magnetometers.
    • Nondestructive testing (NDT) of air- and spacecraft components (SQUID applications).
View Original Abstract

Aerospace technologies are crucial for modern civilization; space-based infrastructure underpins weather forecasting, communications, terrestrial navigation and logistics, planetary observations, solar monitoring, and other indispensable capabilities. Extraplanetary exploration—including orbital surveys and (more recently) roving, flying, or submersible unmanned vehicles—is also a key scientific and technological frontier, believed by many to be paramount to the long-term survival and prosperity of humanity. All of these aerospace applications require reliable control of the craft and the ability to record high-precision measurements of physical quantities. Magnetometers deliver on both of these aspects and have been vital to the success of numerous missions. In this review paper, we provide an introduction to the relevant instruments and their applications. We consider past and present magnetometers, their proven aerospace applications, and emerging uses. We then look to the future, reviewing recent progress in magnetometer technology. We particularly focus on magnetometers that use optical readout, including atomic magnetometers, magnetometers based on quantum defects in diamond, and optomechanical magnetometers. These optical magnetometers offer a combination of field sensitivity, size, weight, and power consumption that allows them to reach performance regimes that are inaccessible with existing techniques. This promises to enable new applications in areas ranging from unmanned vehicles to navigation and exploration.

Tech Support

Section titled “Tech Support”

Original Source

Section titled “Original Source”

References

Section titled “References”
  1. 2007 - GPS and ionospheric scintillations [Crossref]
  2. 2003 - Geomagnetic Hazards to Conducting Networks [Crossref]
  3. 2019 - High-Frequency Communications Response to Solar Activity in September 2017 as Observed by Amateur Radio Networks [Crossref]
  4. 2019 - Precursory worldwide signatures of earthquake occurrences on Swarm satellite data [Crossref]
  5. 2020 - Crustal and time-varying magnetic fields at the InSight landing site on Mars [Crossref]
  6. 2017 - The Juno Magnetic Field Investigation [Crossref]
  7. 2004 - The Cassini Magnetic Field Investigation [Crossref]
  8. 2013 - The Heliospheric Magnetic Field [Crossref]

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