A Novel OBE Magnetic Interference Compensation Method Based on VMD-ICA for Marine Exploration

Marine magnetic information is a key element of marine engineering. The magnetic detection technology based on various moving carriers is developing rapidly, but the carrier magnetic interference seriously affects the magnetic detection accuracy. Therefore, magnetic interference compensation plays a crucial role in marine exploration. Traditional compensation methods are based on the Tolles–Lawson (T–L) model, primarily addressing maneuvering interference. Nevertheless, the T–L model does not account for onboard electronics (OBE) interference, which severely limits the detection accuracy. Herein, we proposed an OBE magnetic interference compensation method based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) and independent component analysis (ICA). This method effectively mitigates interference from electronic devices. Based on the analysis of the time–frequency characteristics, the OBE interference term was introduced into the T–L model. Furthermore, the VMD-ICA method is used to synchronously extract the interference features from the measured signals, thereby facilitating the estimation of relevant parameters within the improved model. To validate the method presented in this article, we conducted simulations of the OBEs system and performed the magnetic field measurement and compensation experiments. The proposed method achieved an enhanced compensation signal with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of less than 0.02 nT, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving the accuracy of marine magnetic detection.