SPH Engineering - Magnetometer

A magnetic field is the area around a magnet, magnetic object, or an electric charge in which magnetic force is exerted. Earth behaves like a giant magnet.

The two primary characteristics of magnetic fields are their strength (referred to as magnetic flux density or magnetic induction) and direction.

A magnetometer is a device that measures the magnetic field at a point where it is.

Types of Magnetometers

Besides scientific purposes, magnetometers are used to detect objects that create anomalies in the Earth’s magnetic field. These objects typically contain ferrous (iron-containing) materials. When they are surrounded by external magnetic fields (the magnetic field of the Earth first of all), they interact with it and create “anomalies” or changes of magnetic field properties (strength and direction) around the object. On the other hand, “non-magnetic” materials will not do that.

By measuring the magnetic field at multiple points across a search area and analyzing the data, magnetometers can identify anomalies where the magnetic field differs from the average level. These anomalies often indicate the presence of magnetic objects hidden beneath the surface.

The most common measurement unit for the magnetic flux density (or magnetic induction) is nanotesla (nT). It’s what you will get in the results of measurements, magnetometer data files, etc.

SPH Engineering has a portfolio covering all possible applications of airborne (drone-mounted) magnetometers. More importantly, our magnetic survey solutions have been rigorously tested in diverse environments such as Greenland, Iceland, Papua New Guinea, Israel, Chile, the US, and many European countries, including real UXO searches. We have a collection of best-in-class magnetometers and understand their benefits for particular applications.