Clutter-Limited Electric and Magnetic Field Sensor with Self Orientation and Calibration

Over the last year QUASAR has designed and demonstrated prototype vector electric and magnetic field sensors that set new performance benchmarks, and already meet the sensitivity objectives, and most of the size and power requirements, of thissolicitation. In addition, these sensors are solid state and very low cost. In Phase I a self-orientation sensor package will be constructed from COTS components and tested in close proximity to the E and B sensors to determine compatibility forintegration. In addition, a series of experiments will be conducted with a compact QUASAR E-field sensor to compare calibration approaches based on the environmental noise and source fields. The result of Phase I will be a top level design for a multiaxiselectric and magnetic field sensor package with self orientation and self calibration capability. In Phase II, three complete E and B sensor packages with hardware and algorithms for self orientation and calibration will be demonstrated in remote andurban environments, both as standalone sensors and in gradiometer mode over baselines of several hundred meters. The proposed system has the potential to provide the complete collaborative electromagnetic sensor solution called for in the solicitationwithout requiring advances in the underlying sensor technology, or in support hardware. Other government applications include direction finding, vehicle, personnel and machinery detection, lightning detection, and planetary exploration.