Open AccessCorrecting the Arcjet Thruster Disturbance in GOES‐16 Magnetometer Data
Author(s) -
Califf S.,
Early D.,
Grotenhuis M.,
Loto'aniu T. M.,
Kronenwetter J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
space weather
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 56
ISSN - 1542-7390
DOI - 10.1029/2019sw002347
Subject(s) - arcjet rocket , magnetometer , spacecraft , geostationary orbit , aerospace engineering , satellite , remote sensing , physics , environmental science , magnetic field , defense meteorological satellite program , propellant , engineering , geology , quantum mechanics
The GOES‐R series magnetometers provide observations of the Earth's magnetic field at geostationary orbit for operational use by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center. The GOES‐R spacecraft use arcjet thrusters for orbital stationkeeping, and the partially ionized thruster plume creates a relatively large (~20 nT) disturbance in the magnetometer data. This study presents a correction algorithm that removes the arcjet signal from the magnetometer data. The algorithm is based on an observed linear relationship between the arcjet disturbance and the ambient magnetic field. We estimate correction parameters using data from GOES‐16 (the first spacecraft of the GOES‐R series), evaluate the uncertainties in the corrected data during arcjet events, and discuss limitations and considerations for arcjet correction in the GOES‐R series magnetometers.