Ground Calibration Method of Magnetic Compensation Parameters forMagnetometer Towfish

Abstract

Magnetometer towfish can be utilized for underwater and aerial towed magnetic field measurements. Although they lack propulsion systems, significant magnetic interference persists, necessitating magnetic interference compensation. However, as towfish possess no maneuverability, they cannot employ calibration methods akin to those of airborne platforms for determining magnetic compensation parameters. This article proposed a ground calibration method of magnetic compensation parameters for magnetometer towfish and designed a ground magnetic interference calibration device to impose certain constraints on the magnetic field environment. Based on the equivalence analysis with the aeromagnetic compensation parameter calibration scheme, a ground calibration method tailored for magnetometer towfish was designed and subsequently subjected to ground calibration experiments and dynamic noise validation in actual environments. Experimental results reveal that the method possesses remarkable efficacy for calibrating magnetic compensation parameters of towfish by using towed magnetic field measurement devices, yielding a quality akin to that of aircraft platforms. The improvement ratio for magnetic compensation calibration exceeds 16.

Keywords

• magnetometer towfish
• magnetic interference compensation
• parameter calibration
• equivalence analysis