ULF induction magnetometer data from Australian Antarctic and subantarctic stations

Brief description

Space weather is a significant hazard to modern technology. It results from energization of the Earth's radiation belts and subsequent transport of relativistic particles to low altitudes. Plasma waves convey energy and interact with particles throughout these regions but also provide a convenient ground-based diagnostic of these processes. We will use data from current and planned spacecraft missions referenced to ground observations to determine the sources of these waves, and whether they are responsible for acceleration of particles in geospace and their precipitation to the atmosphere.

Induction magnetometers constructed by the University of Newcastle and AAD have been installed and operating at each base for over 2 decades. Some people refer to such instruments as search coil magnetometers. Time series observations for the two horizontal magnetic components are digitally recorded with cadence of at least 1 Hz. The data are telemetered from the bases to HO Kingston from where the data are loaded to an automatic FTP site for transfer to Newcastle and the IPS Australian Space Weather Centre at the Bureau of Meteorology. At Newcastle University the data are stored on servers and are automatically backed up by research IT support services. The data transfer process was established by Lloyd Symons and has operated with no difficulty for many years. The main parties involved are Waters, Menk, Ables and Fraser at Newcastle and Lloyd Symons and Damian Murphy at AAD. The induction magnetometer data are archived and freely available through the Bureau of Meteorology's World Data Centre and the AAD can also archive and use these data as desired.

The induction magnetometer data can be viewed in near-real time at the IPS web site; see http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical. Since these are induction data, the signals are dB/dt and also have a frequency-dependent phase shift. The spectral slope of 1/f compensates for the natural response of the geomagnetic field, and the frequency range over which geomagnetic variation signals are usefully detected is 1 mHz to 3 Hz. The signal amplitude is in relative units. Contact Newcastle for calibration information regarding absolute units and phase responses.