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02 April 2004

Wanderings

Ralph J. Coppola
r_j_coppola@hotmail.com

SAS Disclaimer

Feature

Magnetometers can find a place in many applications such as mine detection, security, treasure hunting, mineral exploration, aurora monitoring, geophysical research and let’s not forget --- UFO detection. 8-) The following is a collection of magnetometer related links that I have been collecting for a year or so.

General Information

• Magnetic and Electric Fields
• Practical magnet design
• Don Lancaster’s Tech Musings on magnetometers.
• An overview of the various types magnetic sensors.
• Magnetometers --- Everything you ever wanted to know.
• The Magnetometer Forum
• Yahoo’s Magnetometer Discussion Group.
• Online Aurora Beacon & Magnetometer Site.
• SAMNET - The UK Sub-Auroral Magnetometer Network
• The Magnetosphere or the Earth’s magnetic field.
• The Magnetopause is the interface between the shocked solar wind in the magnetosheath and the geomagnetic field and plasma in the magnetosphere.
• The Aurora Index from the University of Alaska.
• This NASA site provides teachers and students with the latest information about auroral science, and the study of Earth's magnetic field.

DIY

• The Magnetometer Group shows how to build several types of sensors.
• The Geotech’s site contains info on magnetometers and geophysics.
• Building a Flux Gate Magnetometer.
• A simple toroidal-core, single-axis fluxgate magnetometer.
• A Two pole Magnetometer using 2 FGM-3 sensors.
• Build an inexpensive Hall effect Gaussmeter.
• A Unique Home-Built Magnetometer using a Hall-Effect sensor.
• A Compass Detector is used as an aurora detector.
• A Compass Needle is used as a torsion pendulum magnetometer.
• Dan's DIY proton precession magnetometer.
• J.A. Koehler’s notes on the design of a proton precession magnetometer.
• Build A Proton Precession Magnetometer I.
• Build A Proton Precession Magnetometer II.
• Build A Proton Precession Magnetometer III.
• Taking the Earth's Magnetic Pulse.
• Taking the Earth's Magnetic Pulse - Redux.
• An Automated Precision Magnetometer
• The Torsion Balance Magnetometer at the Northern Colorado Earth Magnetism Observatory.
• A Torsion Balance Magnetometer --- adapted from a poster session presented at the 2002 SAS Conference.
• A Novel Torsion Pendulum Magnetometer.
• Construction of an Inexpensive Torque Magnetometer.
• An Amateur Science Project.

K12

• A high school magnetometer array for space physics education and research.
• The Illinois MagNet, offers students the chance to study of the Earth's magnetic field.
• A Jam Jar or Soda Bottle Magnetometer
• NASA’s Soda Bottle Magnetometer Project.
• Build two advanced Jam Jar Magnetometers.
• Recording Earth Field Magnetometer.
• Gem Systems’ Student Essay Awards help to support students of earth science and magnetics.

Commercial Sites

• NVE is a manufacturer of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors.
• The Simple Aurora Monitor (SAM) is a fluxgate magnetometer kit.
• Fat Quarters Software is a source of the Speake & Company FGM magnetic sensors.
• Engineering and Application Notes on the use of the AA002-02 magnetoresistive sensor.

One thing that I noticed was that the proton precession magnetometer listed above use distilled water in the sensor, but the professional units that I’ve seen use JP4 … i.e. kerosene.

Wanderings

This one’s for you, Forrest ---- Dave DuBois’ Aerosol Optical Thickness Measurement Page shows the project results for a graduate class in atmospheric measurements at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Kevin T. Kilty’s site has a possible answer to Bob Hall’s coffee mug question. (Backscatter --- 26Mar’04)

Have a look at George’s Science Links and Amateur Holography pages.

Hindenburg & Hydrogen --- Was hydrogen the cause of the Hindenburg disaster? Find out in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Science On Line feature --- Dr. Karl’s Great Moments In Science.

Here is another easy PCB fabrication method using laser printer toner transfer.

A Microcomputer Time Line --- The history of microcomputers from 1926 to 2001.

The gestalt of the flock! --- or --- Boids of a feather flock together!

How do certain flocks of birds seem to, simultaneously, turn en masse.

The Inventors Gallery has an exert from Leonardo daVinci’s "Treatise Upon The Flight Of Birds."

The Inventors Gallery has compiled an index of Aviation Publications Organized by Publication Date.

The Little Engine Pages and StirlingSouth are companion sites dedicated to the construction of Stirling and other types of model engines.

John C. Lahr’s Fun With Science page carries an article on Ed Phillips' Magnetic Levitation experiments. A few other magnetic levitation sites can be found at:

• Magnetic Levitation — contains magnetic and diamagnetic levitation sites plus some links that should be listed in "From The Far Side".
• Diamagnetically Stabilized Magnet Levitation.

Dr Jamie Love’s Science Explained attempts to explain the exciting things going on in the world of science. He also hosts Merlin's Academy which offers cost effective on line course especially written for home schoolers and other distance learners. Genetics --- is a free example of one of his self-learning course.

Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy site explains the common misconceptions in movies, TV and the news.

Phil Plait’s Top 5 Cosmic Myths explains 5 of the common myths.

Bad Coriolis --- Which way does your toilet flush?

The Science Workshop offers a "Poor Man's Spectrum Analyzer" kit.

Stonehenge ain’t the only pile of rocks in the British Isles. The Megalithic Portal site has an excellent map showing that the Irish, Welch and Scots had a lot of time on their hands.

Allan Coleman has developed several interesting seismometers:

• An Optoelectronic Horizontal Vbb Seismometer
• The Model MkXV variable capacitance seismometer.
• The Model MkXVII broad band variable capacitance seismometer.

This Italian site contains links to software, resources and bookmarks for the professional and amateur seismologist.

If you want to build a Candu Reactor 8-) you’ll need a source of deuterium oxide (D₂O) or as it’s commonly known --- heavy water. United Nuclear carries an extensive line or supplies and chemicals including heavy water.

It looks like heavy water is also used in the cosmetic industry.

The Kids Room

The Intel Science and Engineering Fair will be held in Portland OR from 9 to 15 May 2004. The organizers are looking for volunteers in many areas. Can you help?

The Science Toy Maker Home Page is an excellent source of things for you and your child to do on a rainy day.

Have a look at the Teacher’s Stuff and Science Tricks on the Surfing Scientist web site.

Ken Blackburn, Guinness record for time aloft for paper airplanes, shares some of his skills on his Paper Airplane Page.

Bizarre Stuff site shows you how to conduct many experiments with the commonly found materials.

Powells.com offers a wide selection of science books.

From The Far Side

Project Hessdalen is conducting a study of the strange and unexplained lights that appeared at many locations throughout the Valley.