A Turbine Driven Rotating Coil Magnetometer

A rotating coil magnetometer which utilizes an air turbine to turn the coil has been developed. Since the turbine rotor forms the mount for the coil, there are no shafts or gears. Thus, this magnetometer may be used to measure fields in locations inaccessible to more conventional rotating coil devices. The precision of the suspension of the turbine and the lack of mechanical vibration make it possible to measure transverse field components of the order of one milligauss in a field of one kilogauss. The sensitivity of the magnetometer is made independent of the rotational speed of the coil through the use of an electronic integrator. The coil and integrator circuit is used in conjunction with another system which allows the determination of the direction of the magnetic field being measured relative to a predetermined direction.