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A variation of the Davis-Smith method for in-flight determination of spacecraft magnetic fields.A variation of a procedure developed by Davis and Smith (1968) is presented for the in-flight determination of spacecraft magnetic fields. Both methods take statistical advantage of the observation that fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field over short periods of time are primarily changes in direction rather than in magnitude. During typical solar wind conditions between 0.8 and 1.0 AU, a statistical analysis of 2-3 days of continuous interplanetary field measurements yields an estimate of a constant spacecraft field with an uncertainty of plus or minus 0.25 gamma in the direction radial to the sun and plus or minus 15 gammas in the directions transverse to the radial. The method is also of use in estimating variable spacecraft fields with gradients of the order of 0.1 gamma/day and less and in other special circumstances.
Document ID
19730060305
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Belcher, J. W.
(MIT Cambridge, Mass., United States)
Date Acquired
August 7, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1973
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 78
Subject Category
Space Sciences
Accession Number
73A45107
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-22-009-015
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF GP-31378
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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