Magnetic Variations produced by Ocean Swell

As part of a programme to investigate geomagnetic micropulsations, the Pacific Naval Laboratory has constructed a floating buoy for recording these signals at sea. A non-magnetic (fibre-glass) case housing a rubidium vapour magnetometer is suspended in the ocean by a nylon line from a vertical spar buoy. The system is designed to de- couple the magnetometer case so far as possible from the motion of the sea surface. The magnetometer is connected by electric cable to a raft on the surface, whence the output signals are telemetered to recording equipment on the attending ship which is kept magnetically remote from the buoy.