The Application of a Fluxgate Magnetometer to an Automatic Electronic Degaussing System

The three-component fluxgate magnetometer developed by Serson has been adapted to provide continuous correction signals to the degaussing system of the Chalk River iron-free β-ray spectrometer. Improved electronic circuitry has been developed for the magnetometer which minimizes the zero error and reduces to < 10 −4 gauss long-term drift caused by component aging. The degaussing coil arrangement used to generate uniform magnetic field components opposite to those of the earth is indicated and the current regulation system is described briefly. The method in which the magnetometer correction signal is introduced into the current regulators is shown and an example is given of the performance of this degaussing system during a magnetic storm.