Real-Time Tracking Method for a Magnetic Target Using Total Geomagnetic Field Intensity

We propose an efficient and effective method for real-time tracking a long-range magnetic target using total geomagnetic field intensity. This method is based on a scalar magnetometer sensor array and an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm. Due to the effect of the geomagnetic field variations, the detection distance range of the method based on the gradient tensor is short. To increase the detection range, the geomagnetic field variations must be eliminated in the method. In this paper, the geomagnetic quasi-gradient calculated from total geomagnetic field intensity in the sensor array is used. We design a sensor array with five magnetometers and use the geomagnetic quasi-gradient to eliminate the geomagnetic field variations. The improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm, which minimizes the errors of total geomagnetic field values between measurements and calculations, is applied in this real-time tracking method to track a long-range magnetic target position. The detailed principle of the method and the steps of the IPSO algorithm are described in detail. The method is validated with a numerical simulation. The results show that the average relative error of position is less than 2 % and the execution time is less than 1.5 s.