Remote sensing of geomagnetic fields and atomic collisions in the mesosphere

Felipe Pedreros Bustos (), Domenico Bonaccini Calia, Dmitry Budker, Mauro Centrone, Joschua Hellemeier, Paul Hickson, Ronald Holzlöhner and Simon Rochester
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Felipe Pedreros Bustos: Johannes Gutenberg University
Domenico Bonaccini Calia: European Southern Observatory
Dmitry Budker: Johannes Gutenberg University
Mauro Centrone: Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma
Joschua Hellemeier: University of British Columbia
Paul Hickson: University of British Columbia
Ronald Holzlöhner: European Southern Observatory
Simon Rochester: Rochester Scientific LLC

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Magnetic-field sensing has contributed to the formulation of the plate-tectonics theory, mapping of underground structures on Earth, and the study of magnetism of other planets. Filling the gap between space-based and near-Earth observations, we demonstrate a remote measurement of the geomagnetic field at an altitude of 85–100 km. The method consists of optical pumping of atomic sodium in the mesosphere with an intensity-modulated laser beam, and ground-based observation of the resultant magneto-optical resonance near the Larmor precession frequency. Here we validate this technique and measure the Larmor precession frequency of sodium and the corresponding magnetic field with an accuracy level of 0.28 mG Hz−1/2. These observations allow the characterization of atomic-collision processes in the mesosphere. Remote detection of mesospheric magnetic fields has potential applications such as mapping magnetic structures in the lithosphere, monitoring space weather, and electric currents in the ionosphere.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06396-7

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