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- The Magnetic Fields Investigation (MFI) on WIND will investigate the
large-scale structure and fluctuation characteristics of the interplanetary
magnetic field, which influence the transport of energy and the acceleration of
particles in the solar wind and dynamic processes in the Earth's magnetosphere.
The fundamental observations of solar wind magnetic fields are important to the
study of the solar wind and magnetosphere coupling process and also to the
interpretation of other observational data from WIND.
The MFI instrument consists of dual triaxial fluxgate magnetometers mounted on
a 12-meter radial boom, and a data processing and control unit within the body
of the spacecraft. The magnetometer sensors each produce analog signals
proportional to the strength of the magnetic field component aligned with the
sensor. These signals are then digitized and processed by a microprocessor
controlled data system. Mounting the magnetometers at the outboard end and at
an inboard location on the boom helps substantially to reduce contamination of
the measurements by spacecraft-generated magnetic fields. MFI has a very wide
field measurement capability, from +/- 0.004 nT to +/- 65,536 nT, with both
automatic and commandable range-change capability. Measurement rates are: one
vector per 92 seconds for key parameter data, 10.9 vectors per second for rapid
data for standard analysis, and 44 vectors per second for Fast Fourier
Transform data, and data from the snap-shot memory which can be triggered
automatically for predefined field changes.
For more information, see:
http://lepmfi.gsfc.nasa.gov/mfi/windmfi.html
Group: Instrument_Details
Entry_ID: MFI
Group: Instrument_Identification
Instrument_Category: Solar/Space Observing Instruments
Instrument_Class: Magnetic Field/Electric Field Instruments
Short_Name: MFI
Long_Name: Magnetic Field Investigation (WIND)
End_Group
Group: Associated_Platforms
Short_Name: WIND
End_Group
Online_Resource: http://lepmfi.gsfc.nasa.gov/mfi/windmfi.html
Sample_Image: http://lepmfi.gsfc.nasa.gov/mfi/sensor.gif
Group: Instrument_Logistics
Instrument_Start_Date: 1994-11-01
Instrument_Owner: NASA
End_Group
End_Group
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