Rubidium Vapor Magnetometer for Near Earth Orbiting Spacecraft

Abstract

This paper describes the instrumentation and in‐flight performance of the rubidium vapor magnetometers being flown by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on the POGO satellites. An optically pumped, self‐oscillating rubidium magnetometer was selected as being most compatible with the objectives of the study and with the spacecraft capabilities. A four absorption cell configuration is used to reduce the effect of the null zones inherent in these instruments and to obtain accuracies compatible with the scientific objectives of the program. Scalar magnetic field data are obtained in both digital (PCM) and analog (frequency multiplex) form. Instrument performance parameters are monitored through both main frame and subcommutated PCM data. The first instrument orbited was aboard OGO‐II which was launched on 14 October 1965. This instrument has returned a large quantity of data, and is still operating when sufficient spacecraft power is available. The accuracy of the data is determined, apart from orbit accuracy, by spurious phase shifts within the instrument. These arise from such sources as optical axis misalignment, electronic nonlinearities and frequency dependence, and propagation delay over the long cables connecting sensor and electronics. The magnitude of the resulting error is inversely proportional to the phase slope of the dual cell absorption line. The total effect in the POGO instrument of these sources of error is an accuracy of better than 1.5γ over the entire instrument range of 15 000 to 64 000γ.