A Compact, Low-Cost, Isotropic Atomic Magnetometer

Modern atomic magnetometer technology is poised to deliver total magnetic field measurements in a sensor that is dramatically less expensive, smaller, and lower-power relative to currently-available sensor systems. Using a combination of technologies that have emerged recently, we propose to develop a scalar atomic magnetometer with sensitivity of 1 pT/Hz^1/2 featuring suppressed heading error and no dead zone that can meet a cost objective of $2,000 in quantities of 500. Existing magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) is performed by sensors in the unique tail section of the P-3 aircraft. With the retirement of the P-3 and the transition to the new P-8 platform, anti-submarine warfare stands to lose onboard MAD which has traditionally provided an important verification of target location. The low cost of the proposed sensor uniquely enables planners to consider new usage scenarios including UAVs where magnetometers may be lost or destroyed after completing a mission.