Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field measurements at the Hylaty station and methodology of signal analysis

Abstract

We present the Hylaty geophysical station, a high-sensitivity and low-noise facility for extremely low frequency (ELF, 0.03-300-Hz) electromagnetic field measurements, which enables a variety of geophysical and climatological research related to atmospheric, ionospheric, magnetospheric, and space weather physics. The first systematic observations of ELF electromagnetic fields at the Jagiellonian University were undertaken in 1994. At the beginning the measurements were carried out sporadically, during expeditions to sparsely populated areas of the Bieszczady Mountains in the southeast of Poland. In 2004, an automatic Hylaty ELF station was built there, in a very low electromagnetic noise environment, which enabled continuous recording of the magnetic field components of the ELF electromagnetic field in the frequency range below 60-Hz. In 2013, after 8-years of successful operation, the station was upgraded by extending its frequency range up to 300-Hz. In this paper we show the station's technical setup, and how it has changed over the years. We discuss the design of ELF equipment, including antennas, receivers, the time control circuit, and power supply, as well as antenna and receiver calibration. We also discuss the methodology we developed for observations of the Schumann resonance and wideband observations of ELF field pulses. We provide examples of various kinds of signals recorded at the station. Key Points We describe the technical setup of our geophysical station We discuss the design of ELF equipment, including antennas and receivers We discuss the methodology of observations of the ELF signals ©2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.