Magnetic Anomaly Detector - Other Uses

Other Uses

For geomagnetic survey work the detector can be mounted on a long probe in front of the aircraft or be a towed device. A chart is produced that geologists can study to determine the location and extent of mineral deposits.

During the Vietnam War the original AC-130A Spectre gunships and the A-6C Intruder employed the "Pave Mace"/"Black Crow" magnetic anomaly detection system to detect truck ignition coils in vehicles hidden under heavy jungle canopies. When the electric current flowing through such a coil changes it produces a magnetic flux, which is, in simplest terms, a change in the magnetic field over a given area. In particular, when the trucks were turned on the current flowing through the coils went from zero to some maximum, producing a large and easily detectable flux.