About MAGDAS

  • About the MAGDAS Project

    • This 7-page document (dated November 2005) explains MAGDAS in brief.
    This document includes a color map of the world (indicating MAGDAS
    locations in the Asia Pacific region), a photo of the MAGDAS instrument,
    and other explanations that reveal the purpose and scale of the MAGDAS
    Project of SERC.

    The goal of MAGDAS is to become the most comprehensive ground-based
    monitoring system of the earth's magnetic field. It does not compete
    with space-based observation. Rather, this ground-based network
    complements observation from space.

    To properly study solar events, data from both is required.

    As such, MAGDAS is a very important player in the upcoming IHY.

    IHY is the "International Heliophysical Year". In addition to
    commemorating the 50th anniversary of the fantastically successful IGY
    of 1957, IHY seeks to get more developing nations involved in the realm
    of space research.

    To participate in space research, you do not necessarily need rockets
    and rocket scientists. They help --- but they are not absolutely
    required.

    In any event, ground observation is "a must" for meaningful study and
    exploitation of outer space.

  • Station Photos

    • Nearly 20 MAGDAS units were installed across the Asia Pacific region in
    the year 2005. These photos are just a sample of the sort of effort
    that went into this large deployment of real-time magnetometers. In the
    year 2005, the push was for deployment at points north and south of
    Japan. This job was done.

    Nearly 10 MAGDAS units were also installed along the magnetic equator
    in Africa, Western Pacific region and South America in the year 2006.

    However MAGDAS is still being deployed -- in the year 2007, MAGDAS units
    will be deployed around the earth in places such as South Africa,
    India, Italy, Mexico, Alaska, Siberia, and Antarctica.

    MAGDAS is mainly installed by people associated with SERC (its engineers,
    scientists, and university students). The realization of MAGDAS goes
    far beyond the capability of any one person.

  • MAGDAS Cross Reference Table

    • This table is updated at least once a month. It shows where each MAGDAS
    instrument is installed (or not installed). As you can see, about half
    of the units have been deployed in Japan and overseas. The other half
    is still held in inventory here at SERC.

    Data from these units pour into SERC computers continuously, 24 hours
    per day. This data is carefully archived so that it may be analyzed in
    the years and decades to come.

    The difference between man and mere animal is that man is able to
    explore the universe. If man is "intelligent", then she must do more
    than merely eat, breathe, and reproduce. (Because animals are limited to
    those functions.) Man must do more --- far more than that.

  • MAGDAS Data Archives