Aurora Monitor Project in Software

Creating EAN13 in Software Aurora Monitor Project

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Aurora Monitor: Sensor Head Unit R1,R2 15 megohm 14 watt, / 5% resistor R3 56 megohm, 14 watt, / 5% resistor R4 100 k potentiometer PCB trimmer R5 10 megohm 14 watt, / 5% resistor R11 50k ohms, panelmount potentiometer / R13 200k ohms, 14 watt, 5% resistor / R14 3 megohm, 14 watt, 5% resistor R15 1 megohm, PCB trimmer potentiometer R16 1 megohm, 14 watt, / 5% resistor R17 1 megohm, panel-mount potentiometer R18,R19 5k ohm panel-mount potentiometer R21 1k ohm, 14 watt, / 5% resistor / R22 100 ohms, 12 W, 5% resistor R23 47k ohms, 14 watt, / 5% resistor C4 J1 RCA input jack Misc PC board, coil form, wire, coax, etc Control/Display Unit R6 18 k ohms, 14 watt, / 5% resistor R7 12k ohms, 14 watt, / 5% resistor 0005 F, 25 volt ceramic disk capacitor

C5,C7,C9,C10 01 F, 25 volt ceramic disk capacitor C6 C8 002 F, 25 volt ceramic disk capacitor 47 F, 25 volt aluminum electrolytic capacitor

Q2,Q3 2N394, NPN transistor U1 LM4250 low noise op-amp (National Semiconductor), LTC1062 (Linear Technology) LM201A dual op-amp (National Semiconductor) LM747 op-amp (National Semiconductor) DPDT toggle power switch

The Aurora Borealis is one of nature s most spectacular nighttime displays Shimmering curtains of green, white, and even red light dance in the northern skies Visible effects of charged particles from the Sun raining down on the Earth s ionosphere, northern lights or auroras, are visible in the northern night sky during high sunspot activity The Aurora Australis, the southern hemisphere s counterpart of the Aurora Borealis, can be seen at night by looking toward the south pole These displays of undulating light are formed when flares from the Sun s surface (sunspots) launch showers of high-energy ionized particles and X-rays into space Mostly electrons, the showers stream out from the sun and are attracted by the Earth s magnetosphere, an invisible magnetic field around the Earth Shaped like a pumpkin, the magnetosphere terminates at both magnetic poles but is many miles thick above the equator Dimples at both poles form sinks that funnel the particles toward the poles where they ionize the gas in the ionosphere Those collisions induce the gases to emit their characteristic light wavelengths as in neon signs and fluorescent lamps The charged particle bombardment of the magnetosphere initially compresses it, temporarily increasing the strength of the Earth s geomagnetic field The aurora monitor described here is sensitive enough to detect changes in the field caused by those magnetic storms Thus it can indirectly sense sunspots and predict the presence of auroras in the night sky The monitor also senses changes or anomalies in the magnetic field caused by large metal objects such as cars or trucks moving near the monitor This permits it to act as an intrusion detection monitor able to detect the approach of vehicles at night in restricted areas The monitor can also detect the presence of permanent magnets (such as those in speakers), and stray fields from AC-power lines Early warning of auroras will both permit you to observe them in the night sky or use them for boosting the range of your amateur radio transmissions Auroras and their accompanying magnetic storms generally block or scramble the lower radio frequencies, but the higher frequencies can overcome this interference Radio amateurs aim their antennas north during those storms, thus taking advantage of the phenomena to reach other hams on the opposite side of the Earth that

S2,S4 SPST toggle switches S3 3-position rotary switch, break before make 100-micro-ampere moving-coil panelmounted meter

SPKR1 8 ohm speaker, 2 dia B1,B2,B3,B4 15v (AA) or (C) cells (+) plus voltage supply B5,B6,B7,B8 15v (AA) or (C) cells (-) minus voltage supply J2,J3 RCA jack