Journal notes, All is Quiet
GELLER Labs "Backyard Science"
Thoughts on a proton precession magnetometer design - a Proton Magnetometer Project. Build an Earth's field magnetometer.
The FDM MAGNETOMETER1 project is a low cost high performance proton magnetometer (a digital magnetometer) kit under development for universities and amateur scientists to be able to accurately measure and monitor changes in the Earth's total magnetic F field and to observe geomagnetic storms. Magnetic storms can cause large excursions in the field and are of concern to interests ranging from electrical power grids, radio communications, and satellite operations, to aurora watchers and amateur radio operators.
1 Filter Diagonalization Method "FDM" (harmonic inversion), see Jan 21 and Jan 23 entries, based on: Vladimir A. Mandelshtam, Howard S. Taylor, Harmonic inversion of time signals and its applications, Journal of Chemical Physics (1997), Volume 107, Issue 17, 1997, Pages 6756-6769
(be sure to hit refresh to pick up our latest changes and entries)
I created a new Proton Magnetometer Group at Yahoo groups for those interested in discussing proton magnetometers with an emphasis on Earth's field measurements. I will try to keep it as open as possible without getting attacked by spam. I will also try first with no review of posts, let's see what happens. Please keep it friendly and professional. Use of real names is preferred, possibly required in the future.
Project Documentation (very early stages)
Journal Notes:
Saturday, August 7 , 2010
Overnight: PDF, TXT, very quiet.
Sunday, August 8 , 2010
Overnight: PDF, TXT, very quiet.
Monday, August 9 , 2010
Saturday, August 14 , 2010
Last couple of days: PDF, TXT (magnetogram - 5nT / div). (working on the PCB layout for the zero-current switching FET-Relay hybrid board)
Monday, August 16 , 2010
Overnight: PDF, TXT, (includes the now usual Monday morning garbage trucks (the two relatively large spikes between 6 am and 8 am and a nearby truck delivery in the am), last few days PDF . Sample spectra PDF and log spectra PDF, the prototype continues to run well.
Ordered the first prototype PCBs for the zero-current switching FET-Relay hybrid board this evening; should have them in less than two weeks. I still need to order a selection of film tuning capacitors for the resonating bank.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Overnight: PDF, TXT. It doesn't get much quieter than this, quiet enough to calibrate a 5 1/2 digital magnetometer in the Earth's DC field! Last few diurnal cycles PDF (also relatively quiet).
Friday, August 20 , 2010
Overnight: PDF, TXT, The Earth's ambient field does not get a lot more quiet than it was this early morning period! An archeologist could have done a complete geophysics study with a single unit (as opposed to a gradiometer or second unit to correct for changes in the ambient field). If there were alerts for severe "quiet", we would have had one this morning. Last few days of the diurnal cycle PDF.
Project Documentation (very early stages)
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/notice of typos, etc. send email to joegeller at gellerlabs dot com
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