Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

Magnetism

Magnetism and applications is studied by Eija Tanskanen group that is part of the Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, Aalto University. The main research topic is the magnetic environment on ground, near-Earth space, moon and solar surface. Magnetic disturbances vary in time-scales from seconds and minutes to seasons and solar cycles (11- and 22-years). The magnetic environment is monitored by magnetometers which data is used to detect auroral substorms and their seasonal pattern, Pc5 pulsations, Alfvénic fluctuations embedded to fast solar wind, solar surface magnetic field topology, coronal hole morphology and stellar variability. The group is located in the second floor of the TUAS building.

We live in an electromagnetic world almost without noticing the forces that have an influence on us, on our environment and on the basic functions of our society. Our lives and homes are filled with devices, used every day, which are based on magnetic forces including cars, computers, microwave ovens, credit cards and cell phones. Research of magnetism has a long history starting over 4000 years ago when compass was invented for orientation purposes. Scientific quality geomagnetic data has been recorded in Finland since 1844 and high-quality magnetometers have been build in Aalto University (then Helsinki University of Technology) already in 1950´s. Nowadays wide variety of magnetic data is available from ground and space instruments which can be used to study how magnetic forces act in spatial scales from nanometers to light years and time-scales from seconds to solar cycles. Large magnetic disturbances affect critical infrastructure and functions such as telecommunication, aviation, electricity, energy and water supply as well as navigation.

Main on-going projects

Aalto University is a home of the MAGNETIC team of ReSoLVE CoE whose goal is to characterize centennial evolution of magnetospheric dynamics leading to improved information on the Sun-Earth connection. Magnetic changes in space weather and space climate time-scales is studied by INTERMAGNET and IMAGE ground-based instruments, DSCOVR, ACE, WIND, SOHO, SDO

ReSoLVE

G-EPOS Geoscientific infrastructure aims improving the geophysical infrastructures in the following disciplines: geomagnetism, geothermics and geodetics. G-EPOS is related to the national FIN-EPOS infrastructure and EPOS within ESFRI european infrastructure road map.

CubeMAG whose goal is to build magnetometers to terrestrial, lunar and space applications

Group members

More information on our research in the Aalto research portal.

Contact:
Visiting Professor Eija Tanskanen
Email: eija.tanskanen at aalto.fi
Tel.: +358 50 4499 733

Postal address:
Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering
Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering
P.O. Box 15500, 00076 Aalto, Finland

Visiting address:
Maarintie 8, 02150 Espoo

Published: 8.6.2018
Updated: 1.7.2021

Magnetism

Main on-going projects

ReSoLVE Centre of Excellence in Research on Solar Long-term Variability and Effects

G-EPOS

CubeMAG

Group members

Eija Tanskanen

Latest publications