mahaun@sactoh0.UUCP (Mark A. Haun) (09/08/89)
I am considering trying to build a magnetometer of sufficient accuracy to monitor and record fluxuations in the Earth's magnetic field, mostly to observe magnetic storms caused by big flares on the sun (March 13, 1989 stuff especially :-) !). I've heard of such monitors at places like the SESC (Space Environment Services Center) in Boulder, CO and other similar places in different countries, but have never heard of an individual electronics buff building one on their own. Is this because it's hard to get the needed sensitivity on an experimenters budget? Or am I the only one with this idea? I envision having a setup with the magnetometer hooked up to a chart recorder and running 24 hours a day. It might also show me the best times to try and observe the northern lights from my location here in CA, if there are more *big* flares like this last March. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has undertaken such a project, anyone who has seen a construction article for one, or anybody with suggestions/ideas/etc. on the feasibility or this. Please email to any of the addresses below. If there is enough interest in the project I may post a summary. Thanks! -- ( Mark A. Haun KJ6PC )( UUCP: ...uunet!mmsac!sactoh0!mahaun ) ( Sac-Unix, Sacramento CA )( INTERNET: mmsac!sactoh0!mahaun@uunet.uu.net ) ( IP: [44.2.0.56] 144.93 Mhz )( AMPRNET: kj6pc@kj6pc.ampr.org ) ( )( PACKET: kj6pc@wa6nwe.#nocal.ca.usa.na )