Indian scientists have developed the Overhauser magnetometer, one of the most accurate magnetometers widely used by all magnetic observatories worldwide, paving the way to reduce the cost of sampling and sensing experiments necessary for geomagnetic sampling. The sensor installed at the Alibag Magnetic Observatory (MO) may relieve India of its dependence on commercial OVH magnetometers for conducting geomagnetic field measurements.
OVH magnetometers are known for their higher accuracy, higher sensitivity and efficient power consumption, which is why they are used in all magnetic observatories around the world as well as in international space programs. Until now, it was imported to India for such purposes. To reduce dependence on imports, the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG), an autonomous research institution under the DST, Government of India, developed a magnetometer as part of its technology development programme.
The team from the IIG Instrumentation Division used various spectroscopic tools and theoretical simulations to understand how the OVH sensor works. Furthermore, they performed various control experiments such as changing the composition of the sensor and investigating the performance of the sensor. This helped them optimize the sensor parameters and related electronics, ultimately resulting in a very efficient and stable OVH sensor.
Experiments with the sensor installed at the Alibag Magnetic Observatory (MO) for geomagnetic sampling found that the sensor reproduces the geomagnetic diurnal variation accurately and accurately shows the signatures of various space weather events such as geomagnetic storms, sudden impulses, etc. The performance of this self-made magnetometer is at par as the commercial OVH sensor currently installed at the IIG magnetic observatories.
The sensor is currently being tested for its long-term stability. The group is further excited to adapt its sensor for the outer space environment to support India’s existing space research programme. In addition, the group believes that understanding this project, specifically the underlying mechanism of dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), could also potentially help develop a sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device.
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