US Ground-based magnetometer arrays

US Ground Magnetometer Board

This wiki page and related ground magnetometer board meetings are part of a community driven effort to (1) review operations/status/performance of all US-funded ground magnetometer arrays, (2) discuss priorities for future ground magnetometer locations in consultation with the wider community including USGS/ULTIMA/NSF, (3) transition towards a Class-II facility/DASI operations model as recommended by the 2015-2016 NSF Geospace Portfolio Review, (4) facilitate the production and dissemination of high level data products that support scientific investigations, spacecraft missions, modeling efforts, and space weather forecasts. For more information about the current state and future of ground magnetometer networks in support of space weather monitoring and research, see this article in Space Weather as well as this white paper submitted to the 2024-2033 Solar and Space Physics (Heliophysics) Decadal Survey.

Current Ground Magnetometer Board Members:

• Peter Chi
• Mark Engebretson
• Jesper Gjerloev
• Michael Hartinger
• Hyomin Kim
• Gang Lu
• Doğacan Su Öztürk
• Josh Rigler
• Michelle Salzano (vice-chair)
• Xueling Shi
• Howard Singer
• Endawoke Yizengaw
• Zhonghua Xu (chair)

Former Ground Magnetometer Board Members:

• Carol Finn
• Jennifer Gannon
• Efthyia Zesta

US-Sponsored Ground-Based Magnetometer Arrays and Programs*

Array	Location	Instruments	Manufacturer	No. of Locations
AAL-PIP	Antarctica	Fluxgate	Lviv Centre ISR	6
AAL-PIP	Antarctica	Induction Coil	UNH	4
AMBER	Africa	Fluxgate	UCLA	7
AMBER	South America	Fluxgate	UCLA	2
AMBER	East Asia	Fluxgate	UCLA	4
Falcon	Continental US	Fluxgate	UCLA	11
GIMA	Alaska	Fluxgate	Narod	9
Jicamarca	South America	Fluxgate	UCLA	2
LISN	South America	Fluxgate	Custom/Jicamarca	6
MACCS	Arctic Canada	Fluxgate	Narod	8
McMAC	Continental US & Mexico	Fluxgate	UCLA	9
MEASURE	Continental US	Fluxgate	UCLA	6
SAMBA	South America & Antarctica	Fluxgate	UCLA	12
THEMIS	Continental US & Canada	Fluxgate	UCLA	24
US Geological Survey	US & Territories	Fluxgate	Narod, Technical Univ of Denmark	11
NJIT / AGO	Antarctica	Fluxgate	Bell Labs	7
NJIT / AGO	Antarctica	Induction Coil	Tohoku University	5
MICA	Antarctica	Induction Coil	UNH	5
MICA	Arctic Canada	Induction Coil	UNH	4
MICA	Svalbard	Induction Coil	UNH	4

• Some locations listed here have instruments that are not currently operating.

Ground Magnetometer Data

SuperMAG

USGS Geomagnetism Program

INTERMAGNET

Spherical Elementary Currents from James Weygand

THEMIS

NASA CDAWeb

UNH Magnetic Induction Coil Array (MICA)

IUGONET

Digital Object Identifiers for Ground Magnetometer Data

Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) allow authors to cite data products just as they refer to papers. This is becoming a requirement of many journals, as it assures that the specific data used in a publication are findable and accessible. The DOI provides a permanent identifier (PID) for the data, remaining unchanged even if the data are moved to another archive. The "creators" (authors) of the data must link the DOI to a "landing page" that provides details about the data and methods for accessing them. Our group recommends that each ground magnetometer network generate DOIs for their datasets, at minimum one DOI for their original measurements (i.e., before filtering and other types of processing are performed).

As a member of the DataCite organization, NASA Heliophysics (HP) can "mint" DOIs for ground magnetometer datasets. NASA HP is providing an easy means to assign DOIs to datasets using the HP Digital Resource Registry (HDRR) by providing landing pages for datasets based on their "SPASE" resource descriptions. As an example, any users of NASA's OMNI dataset can now use https://doi.org/10.48322/1shr-ht18 for the hourly dataset, and other DOIs for other sets, discoverable by a search with the Heliophysics Data Portal (HDP; https://heliophysicsdata.gsfc.nasa.gov; look for "omni" in the "observatory" entry at the left). More details for DOI initiation for resources in the HDP can be found here. For further information, and especially to start the process of registering DOIs, contact James Weygand (jweygand@igpp.ucla.edu or jweygand@epss.ucla.edu).

As noted above, a SPASE resource description is required for each magnetometer dataset to mint a DOI. Here's an example for the MACCS magnetometer network 5s measurements.

2019 GEM workshop meeting

The ground magnetometer advisory board was formed in 2016 as a community driven effort to (1) review operations/status/performance of all US-funded ground magnetometer arrays, (2) discuss priorities for future ground magnetometer locations in consultation with the wider community including USGS/ULTIMA/NSF, (3) transition towards a Class-II facility/DASI operations model as recommended by the 2015-2016 NSF Geospace Portfolio Review, (4) facilitate the production and dissemination of high level data products that support scientific investigations, spacecraft missions, modeling efforts, and space weather forecasts.

We invite the GEM community to attend our meeting on Monday, June 24 at 1:30 PM, where we’ll discuss updates on all the above items. Later this year, we’ll add new members to the advisory board who either operate ground magnetometers or use magnetometer data to support their scientific investigations and/or space weather monitoring efforts. If you’re interested in learning more about this opportunity, please attend this GEM meeting or contact Mike Hartinger (mdhartin@vt.edu).

Monday, 24 June, 1:30 PM, Location: Santa Fe

• Mike Hartinger - Updates on ground magnetometer advisory board activities
• Mark Engebretson - Summary of information gathering report
• Lisa Winter - NSF updates
• Hyomin Kim - DRUM/DASI updates and future plans, discussion
• Jesper Gjerloev - SuperMAG updates
• Josh Rigler - USGS updates, updates from other magnetometer arrays

2019 mini-GEM workshop meeting

Sunday, 8 December, 1200-1330, Location: Oregon Room

• Mike Hartinger - Introduction and Overview of Advisory Board activities, updates on DOI and new instruments
• Howard Singer - How ground magnetometers are currently incorporated into forecasts at SWPC, how they could be incorporated in the future
• Jennifer Gannon - How ground magnetometers can best be used to monitor/investigate GIC, utility-grade magnetometers
• Endawoke Yizengaw - Open discussion with NSF, DRUM/DASI future proposal plans
• Anna Kelbert - USGS Geomagnetism Program updates
• Peter Chi - update on ULTIMA activities / international collaboration
• James Weygand - Spherical Elementary Currents and Mid/Low Latitude Data Availability
• Walk-ins TBD (Amy Keesee/Mike Coughlin,...)

August 2020 Virtual Discussion: Ground Magnetometer Measurements for Heliophysics Research and Space Weather Monitoring

Friday, 7 August, 1500-1630 EDT

Meeting Summary and Community Feedback from Google Form

Discussion from this meeting and previous meetings was summarized in this Heliophysics 2050 white paper.

Invited Speakers

• Syau-Yun Hsieh – SMILE mission ground-based support
• Enrico Camporeale – Long-term continuous magnetometer data for geomagnetic activity prediction using machine learning
• Slava Merkin – What is required of global magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere models to predict ground magnetic perturbations

Project Updates

• Jesper Gjerloev, SuperMAG
• Michelle Salzano, MICA
• Josh Rigler, USGS
• Jennifer Gannon, MagStar
• Chuck Smith, Space Weather Underground
• Endawoke Yizengaw, iMAGS
• Peter Chi, SMART
• Mark Moldwin, New Ground Mag and TEC/GPS system
• Mark Engebretson, MACCS
• Don Hampton, GIMA
• Hyomin Kim, AGO
• Mike Hartinger, AALPIP

February 2021 Virtual Discussion: Applications of Ground Magnetometer Measurements to Geophysics Research

Thursday, 4 February, 1100-1230 US Eastern Time

This virtual meeting will begin with an invited talk from Gary Egbert on current/future applications of ground magnetometers to geophysics research, including magnetotellurics research relevant to Heliophysics/GIC. This continues a series of discussions intended to gather feedback for the upcoming Heliophysics Decadal Survey.

The rest of the meeting will be for updates from SuperMAG and individual magnetometer networks, NSF announcements, and discussion of magnetometer digital object identifiers.

Meeting notes and summary

Link to Gary Egbert's 2020 AGU presentation, "Modeling Diurnal Variation Magnetic Fields for Mantle Induction Studies"

• 1100-1105 Mike Hartinger, Introduction and Updates on Digital Object Identifiers
• 1105-1125 Gary Egbert, Current and Future Applications of Ground Magnetometers to Geophysics Research
• 1125-1135 Jennifer Gannon, MagStar
• 1135-1145 Josh Rigler / Anna Kelbert, USGS Updates
• 1145-1155 Whitham Reeve, SAM-III
• 1155-1205 Rob Barnes / Matt Potter, SuperMAG Updates
• 1205-1215 Collaboration tools and NSF opportunities
• 1215-1230 Additional Brief Project Updates: MICA, MACCS, NJIT, AALPIP

July 2021 Virtual Discussion: Input from Ground Magnetometer Community to the Decadal Survey

Thursday, 8 July, 1200-1330 US Eastern Time

This virtual meeting focused on gathering feedback for the Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey. The discussion began with several presentations related to open magnetometer science questions and infrastructure. The rest of the meeting was for open discussion on topics for magnetometer-related white papers for the decadal survey.

Meeting notes

• Mike Hartinger, Overview of the Meeting, NSF Opportunities
• Adam Schultz, Improving Situational Awareness of ground-level EM fields
• Dan Schneider, QuakeFinder: Induction Coil Magnetometer Array
• Jesper Gjerloev, SuperMAG news
• Mark Engebretson, Unresolved issues in MPE-GIC studies

October 2021 Virtual Discussion: Input from Ground Magnetometer Community to the Decadal Survey, continued (1)

Thursday, 19 October, 1400-1530 US Eastern Time

This virtual meeting focused on gathering feedback for the Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey, continuing discussion from July 2021. This was a free flowing discussion to add background material for ground magnetometer white papers to a google doc.

February 2022 Virtual Discussion: Input from Ground Magnetometer Community to the Decadal Survey, continued (2)

Monday, 7 February, 1600-1700 US Eastern Time

This virtual meeting focused on gathering feedback for the Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey, continuing discussion from July and October 2021. The meeting started with a presentation discussing upcoming meetings and other announcements related to the Decadal Survey as well as plans for an over-arching ground magnetometer white paper. The remaining time was for a free flowing discussion to add background material for ground magnetometer white papers to a google doc.

2022 GEM Workshop meeting

Monday, 20 June, 1030-1200 US Hawaii Time, Stingray room

The GEM GIC focus group and US magnetometer group will have a joint session at the 2022 GEM workshop. The session will begin with an introduction to both groups followed by an invited talk by Dr. Chigomezyo Ngwira on geomagnetically induced currents and geomagnetic disturbances. The remainder of the session will be for discussion of Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey white papers related to ground magnetometers and short magnetometer network updates.

• 1030-1035 - Mike Hartinger, Overview of the US Ground Magnetometer Group
• 1035-1040 - Xueling Shi, Overview of the new GEM GIC focus group
• 1040-1100 - Chigomezyo Ngwira, Review of Geomagnetic Disturbances and GIC
• 1100-1105 - Mike Hartinger, GMAG group decadal survey discussions overview
• 1105-1110 - Mike Hartinger, Overarching magnetometer white paper
• 1110-1115 - Jesper Gjerloev, Decadal survey white paper
• 1115-1145 - General Q+A and discussion of decadal survey white paper topics
• 1145-1200 - Magnetometer Network/SuperMAG Updates (1-slide/1-minute each): Jesper Gjerloev (SuperMAG), Shane Coyle (AALPIP), Shane Coyle (GPS Rollover), Michelle Salzano (MICA-S), Hyomin Kim (HamSCI magnetometer), Hyomin Kim (Deep polar cap Antarctic network), Josh Rigler (USGS magnetometer network), Mark Engebretson (MACCS - presenting virtually), Q+A

2022 mini-GEM Workshop

Sunday, 11 December, hybrid meeting

The US magnetometer group participated in two joint sessions with the GEM GIC, MPEC, and IHMIC focus groups at the 2022 mini-GEM workshop. See the GIC FG wiki page for details on the schedule.

2023 GEM Workshop meeting

Wednesday, 14 June, 1330-1500 US Pacific Time, Pacific A room

The GEM GIC focus group and US magnetometer group will have a joint session at the 2023 GEM workshop.

• 1330-1335 - Mike Hartinger, Overview of the US Ground Magnetometer Group and Recent Updates
• 1335-1345 - Chia-Lin Huang, NSF updates
• 1345-1350 - Jesper Gjerloev, SuperMAG updates
• 1350-1355 - Peter Chi, ULTIMA updates
• 1355-1400 - Discussion
• 1400-1405 - Peter Chi, SMART network updates
• 1405-1410 - Doga Ozturk, UAF SWUG Data Center
• 1410-1415 - Zhonghua Xu, AALPIP network update
• 1415-1420 - Hyomin Kim, NJIT update Antarctic geospace measurements
• 1420-1425 - Mark Engebretson (virtual), MACCS network update and relevance to GDC/SMILE
• 1425-1430 - Josh Rigler (virtual), USGS updates (observatories and variometers)
• 1430-1435 - Mike Hartinger (for Shane Coyle), magget: A python module for finding and digesting ground magnetometer data from many modular data sources
• 1435-1440 - Marc Lessard, Magnetic Induction Coil Array
• 1440-1500 - General Q+A and discussion

2023 mini-GEM Workshop

Sunday, 10 December, 1530-1700 US Pacific Time, Gold Rush A room

The GEM GIC focus group and US magnetometer group will have a joint session at the 2023 mini-GEM workshop. The session will begin with an introduction to both groups and a summary of recent activities, followed by updates from NSF and discussion of international collaborations involving ground magnetometers including International Polar Year. The rest of the session will be for SuperMAG updates, discussion of ground magnetometer campaigns with satellite missions (SMILE, GDC, EZE,…), and data sharing.

• 1530-1535 - Mike Hartinger and Xueling Shi, GMAG board overview / Planned GIC FG activities
• 1535-1545 - Chia-Lin Huang, NSF updates
• 1545-1550 - Zhonghua Xu, Recap from GEOSCOPR workshop (Vladimir Papitashvili also available for Q+A)
• 1550-1555 - Zhonghua Xu and Mike Hartinger, Early plans for ground magnetometers in the International Polar Year: IASC feedback
• 1555-1600 - Lucilla Alfonsi (presented by Mike Hartinger), International Collaboration - SCAR AGATA
• 1600-1610 - Discussion
• 1610-1615 - Jesper Gjerloev, SuperMAG update
• 1615-1620 - Jesper Gjerloev, EZIE mission coordination with ground-based measurements, including magnetometers
• 1620-1625 - Bea Gallardo-Lacourt, GDC mission coordination with ground-based measurements, including magnetometers
• 1625-1630 - Jennifer Carter, SMILE mission coordination with ground-based measurements, including magnetometers
• 1630-1635 - Jennifer Carter and Maria-Theresia Walach, SMILE mission winter campaign planning
• 1635-1640 - Alexander Drozdov, Accessing Magnetometers from Seismology Databases via SPEDAS software
• 1640-1700 - General Q+A and discussion