Scalar magnetometer with vector capabilities

摘要

A scalar magnetometer with vector capabilities includes a cell containing .sup.3 He gas at a pressure between 0.05 Torr and 100 Toor. The cell is energized by an oscillator which partially ionizes the .sup.3 He gas. Metastable atoms are polarized and consequently ground state atoms are polarized with a radiation source. A pair of Helmholtz coils provides a small uniform magnetic field which initiates a precession of the polarized .sup.e He atoms by forcing their misalignment with the magnetic field to be measured. The angular velocity of the precession is proportional to the strength of the field. A voltage is induced in a plurality of coils that are mounted on the axes of the cell. The induced voltage provides vector information for identifying the angular position of the cell relative to the magnetic field being measured.