A new instrument for space plasma exploration: The current density coil

A. Meyer (1) , L. Rezeau (1) , F. Mottez (1) , H. de Feraudy (1) , A. Roux (1)

1 CETP - Centre d'étude des environnements terrestre et planétaires

This paper presents an instrument aimed at measuring current densities in space plasmas: a current density coil. Such an instrument already exists for the estimation of currents in the laboratory. A special design has been developed and tested for use on board spacecraft. The characteristics of the instrument are explained in details and many tests performed on the ground are presented. It is shown that the current density coil is sensitive enough to measure ionospheric currents.

Mots clés: Space Plasma Physics: Instruments and techniques

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]; Planétologie et astrophysique de la terre [astro-ph.EP]

A. Meyer, L. Rezeau, F. Mottez, H. de Feraudy, A. Roux. A new instrument for space plasma exploration: The current density coil. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2001, 106, pp.12999-13006. ⟨10.1029/2000JA900131⟩. ⟨hal-00405925⟩