nuclear-precession magnetometer

views updated

nuclear-precession magnetometer A magnetometer based on the ability of protons to precess about the geomagnetic field with a frequency dependent on the strength of the ambient magnetic field. A strong field is applied which aligns the protons, and they then precess about the geomagnetic field after the applied field is removed. The instrument has a sensitivity of the order of 1 nT, and is capable of rapid repetition to produce an almost continuous signal.