Powerful electric currents are generated deep inside the Earth causing low frequency electromagnetic signals that have long been reported in connection with impending earthquake activity.
But these electromagnetic signals are extremely low in strength and frequency making their detection almost impossible in the presence of other surrounding noise.
NASA has now invented an extremely sensitive magnetometer that can detect the faintest of electromagnetic signals indicative of geophysical weather and atmospheric changes.
Small changes in the ambient magnetic field cause fluctuations in permeability of a variable permeability core of the magnetometer. This causes a change in the inductance of a coil surrounding the core. By passing a current through the coil and measuring the voltage across it, an indication of the ambient field is obtained.
In addition to predicting earthquakes, this magnetometer can also detect global lightning activity, storms, global temperature variations, geomagnetic activities on other nearby planets and detection of underground nuclear tests.
Publication number: US 20160139213
Patent Title: Variable Permeability Magnetometer Systems and Methods for Aerospace Applications
Publication date: May 19, 2016
Filing date: Apr 1, 2015
Inventors: QAMAR A. SHAMS; JOHN F. SUTTON;
Original Assignee: U.S.A. as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
