Journal article
The Magnetic Search Coil (MSC) on the TRACERS Mission
Space science reviews, Vol.221(5), 72
08/05/2025
DOI: 10.1007/s11214-025-01200-7
PMCID: PMC12325441
PMID: 40777824
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
The Magnetic Search Coil (MSC) instruments on the TRACERS mission provide the three magnetic components of the waves from ∼1 Hz to 1 kHz from two closely spaced spacecraft in low Earth orbit that pass through the magnetospheric cusp. These measurements of Alfvén and other waves help meet the TRACERS Science Objective 3: "Determine to what extent dynamic structures in the cusp are associated with temporal versus spatial reconnection". The TRACERS MSC uses a three axis, dual sensor coil system and amplifiers with current feedback to provide continuous analog outputs to the Electric Field Instrument (EFI) Electric Signal Processing (ESP) Board. The ESP digitally samples each MSC analog output channel with 16-bit resolution at 2048 samples/second and sends the digitally sampled data to the Central Data Processing Unit (CDPU). The TRACERS MSC design, calibration, and performance is described.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Magnetic Search Coil (MSC) on the TRACERS Mission
- Creators
- G B Hospodarsky - University of IowaA J Carton - University of IowaR T Dvorsky - University of IowaD L Kirchner - University of IowaD M Miles - University of IowaS R Bounds - University of IowaI W Christopher - University of IowaD Crawford - University of IowaK Deasy - University of IowaJ S Dolan - University of IowaJ B Faden - University of IowaG W Fessenden Jr - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, 203 Van Allen Hall, Iowa City, 52242 IA USAC Hansen - University of IowaR L Helland - University of IowaS D Klinkhammer - University of IowaM C Miller - University of IowaK J Morris - University of IowaC W Piker - University of IowaO Santolik - Charles UniversityK Steele - University of IowaT A Tompkins - Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, 203 Van Allen Hall, Iowa City, 52242 IA USAM D Webb - University of IowaD Wilkinson - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Space science reviews, Vol.221(5), 72
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11214-025-01200-7
- PMID
- 40777824
- PMCID
- PMC12325441
- NLM abbreviation
- Space Sci Rev
- ISSN
- 0038-6308
- eISSN
- 1572-9672
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Grant note
- Goddard Space Flight Center: 80GSFC18C0008 NASARoy J. Carver Charitable Trust
The MSC instruments and this paper are dedicated to the memory of Professor Donald Gurnett, who taught me how to build search coil magnetometers and Professor Craig Kletzing, whose vision made the TRACERS mission happen. This research used the open-source software Autoplot (Faden et al. 2010) which is freely available at autoplot.org. This work was supported at the University of Iowa by NASA through contract 80GSFC18C0008 with Goodard Spaceflight Center. GBH acknowledges the use of the Space Physics Data Repository at the University of Iowa supported by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/05/2025
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984944729302771
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