Using GOES Magnetometer Data to Quantify the Error in Magnetic Field Models Near Geostationary Orbit

Earth's magnetic field is an essential component in order for life to be sustained on our planet. It shields us from the stream of charged particles, or plasma, constantly being emitted from the sun, traveling towards earth at a million miles per hour. This solar wind, as well as other more powerful solar phenomena, alters Earth's magnetic field, compressing the side facing the sun and elongating the field on the night side. The TS04 model is a data-based modeling of this fluctuation in the geomagnetic field of earth. GOES-16 is one of many satellites that take measurements of earth's magnetic field using its two onboard magnetometers. Currently, there is discrepancy not only between the model and the GOES-16 measurements but also between the readings of the two magnetometers (the inboard and the outboard) on the satellite. In this work, we compared the TS04 model to measurements from several GOES satellites to assess the accuracy of the model, and to understand the source of errors in the GOES-16 measurement.