BackForwardInstrument:  VFM 

Instrument details
Acronym VFM
Full name Vector Field Magnetometer
Purpose Observation of the magnetic field along the orbit
Short description

Based on three fluxgate elements in triaxial configuration. Dynamic range ±0.1 to ± 65536 nT with resolution ±0.5 nT @ maximum of dynamics. 

Instrument monitoring and calibration here
Background

Part of a package of instruments for Solid Earth and Space Weather observation
Scanning Technique

Formation flight of 3 satellites in coordinated orbits for 3-D field reconstruction
Resolution N/A
Coverage / Cycle Large fraction of magnetosphere and ionosphere: sampling at 20 ms intervals
Mass 1 kg Power 1 W Data Rate

 

Providing Agency DNSC
Instrument Maturity Backed by strong heritage
Utilization Period: 2014 to 2025
Last update: 2024-09-23
Detailed characteristics

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Satellites this instrument is flying on

Note: a red tag indicates satellites no longer operational, a green tag indicates operational satellites, a blue tag indicates future satellites

Instrument classification
  • Solar and space environment monitors
  • Field or radiowave sensor
WIGOS Subcomponents
  • Subcomponent 1
  • In-situ plasma probes, and energetic particle spectrometers and magnetometers at GEO and LEO, and magnetic field at GEO
  • Magnetometer at LEO
  • Subcomponent 2
  • Magnetospheric energetic particles and magnetometers
  • Geomagnetic field sensor [in LEO and cross magnetosphere]
Mission objectives
Primary mission objectives
  • Geomagnetic field
Evaluation of Measurements

The following list indicates which measurements can typically be retrieved from this category of instrument. To see a full Gap Analysis by Variable, click on the respective variable.

Note: table can be sorted by clicking on the column headers
Note: * Primary mission objective.
VariableRelevance for measuring this variableOperational limitationsExplanation
Geomagnetic field*3 - highNo specific limitation.Platform, vectorial, wide dynamics, high resolution