Application of an improved calibration flight scheme in aeromagnetic interference compensation

In aeromagnetic measurement, accurate compensation for the interference
magnetic field generated by the aircraft platform due to the aircraft
maneuvering in the Earth’s magnetic field is an important prerequisite for
the accurate indentification of the magnetic anomaly signal of the
detection target. The flaws of the traditional calibration flight scheme
in aeromagnetic interference compensation are firstly analyzed, and then
an improved scheme is proposed, featuring smaller calibration flight
areas, more simplified maneuvers, shorter flight route and less influence
from the magnetometer’s direction. The improved scheme can enhance the
robustness of the aeromagnetic interference compensation matrix, and
improve the compensation efficiency, and thus both the solved magnetic
compensation coefficients and compensation effects are significantly
improved. The experimental results of aeromagnetic interference
compensation in an area of Inner Mongolia of China show that the average
accuracy of the repeated survey lines, which are compensated by the
improved scheme, can be increased by 5 nT and 3 nT, respectively, compared
with the uncompensated results and the results compensated by the
traditional scheme. Therefore, the effectiveness and superiority of the
improved calibration flight scheme is fully proved.