Detecting the Earth's magnetic field

[Steel_Panther]

Hi guys just a quick question.

I was thinking of building a fairly simple solar storm detector, something similar to this
http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/detectors/compass

I was just wondering if the effects that the solar wind has on the shape of the Earth's magnetic field, such as the compression it experiences on the side facing the sun and the extension on the opposite side, could be detectable.

I was thinking of running the detector continuously for a couple of weeks to try to detect small fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field, and then compare the captured data for the day and night.

Thanks a lot

 

[mikeph]

You'd be able to capture these effects I'm sure. The net field is about ~10 uT but variations in the ionosphere and such should cause some noticeable changes. It'd be interesting to see what results you get.

 

[Drakkith]

Per wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_magnetic_field#Currents_in_the_ionosphere_and_magnetosphere

Electric currents induced in the ionosphere generate magnetic fields (ionospheric dynamo region). Such a field is always generated near where the atmosphere is closest to the Sun, causing daily alterations that can deflect surface magnetic fields by as much as one degree. Typical daily variations of field strength are about 25 nanoteslas (nT) (one part in 2000), with variations over a few seconds of typically around 1 nT (one part in 50,000).[52]