Modeling of magnetic Barkhausen noise in single and dual easy axis systems in steel

Angular dependent magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN) signals measured on plate steel, and on the inside and outside surfaces of sections of seam welded and spiral welded 2% Mn steel pipe are modeled by considering a system of dipole moments. The relative orientation of dipole moments is fixed within the material, but their magnitude grows in the presence of an applied field. Growth of the moments is proportional to the magnetic field projected along a particular moment axis. A single easy axis material consists of an isotropically aligned population of moments, giving the background, upon which is superimposed a population of moments with relative orientations that result in a net moment within the sample. A dual easy axis system is proposed to consist of: (i) a second population of moments with orientations resulting in a net moment with orientation different from that of the first and (ii) interactions, possibly quadrupolar in nature, that occur between the individual moments of each population. The model is used to explain differences in the angular-dependent MBN signal between the seam welded pipe, with a single easy axis, and the spiral welded pipe, with a dual easy axis. The source of the dual easy axis system in the spiral welded pipe, which is different on the two pipe surfaces, is considered in terms of the asymmetric manufacturing processes, relative to the pipe axis, applied during its production.