  The Faraday Rotation Ammeter (FRA) experiment takes advantage of the Faraday
Effect in order to measure the current density in a given environment. The
Faraday Effect explains a rotation of a polarized electric field as it
propagates through a magnetic field. The FRA uses a polarized laser source that
is coupled into fiber optic cable, then placed in the desired environment to
measure the change of polarization angle caused by the magnetic field. The
change in the angle of polarization can be used to then find the strength of
the magnetic field and ultimately the level of current that created it. The
Faraday Effect is amplified by the Verdet Constant, a material property that
describes the number of degrees the angle of polarization rotates for a given
medium. The device is intended to measure the current density seen in the
Aurora. Estimated current values are expected to be around the lower micro-amps
range (10-100mA/m^2) for that application. The main goals of the project were
to simulate the Faraday Effect on the propagation of the linear polarized light
wave, measure the Verdet Constant, re-build the previous design and determine
what components of the design if improved or replaced with newer technology
could provide the FRA the required sensitivity.
