A method for identifying sensor head displacement comprising: generating a magnetic field (550, 552); capturing, by multiple magnetic field orientation sensors (514x-514z), measurements of the magnetic field by: measuring, by a first magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in the first direction with reference to a reference field angle, wherein the first magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed substantially in alignment with a centerline of the magnetic field where the first magnetic field orientation sensor senses the reference field angle, measuring, by a second magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in a plane defined by the first (X-Direction) and second directions (Z-Direction), wherein the second magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed offset from the centerline of the magnetic field such that an output from the at least one magnetic field orientation sensor measures a combination of the gap separation and the displacement in the first direction, wherein the first and second directions are orthogonal to each other; identifying, using the measurements of the magnetic field, (i) a displacement of first and second scanning sensor heads in the first direction, and (ii) a gap separation of the first and second scanning sensor heads in the second direction. generating a magnetic field (550, 552); capturing, by multiple magnetic field orientation sensors (514x-514z), measurements of the magnetic field by: measuring, by a first magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in the first direction with reference to a reference field angle, wherein the first magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed substantially in alignment with a centerline of the magnetic field where the first magnetic field orientation sensor senses the reference field angle, measuring, by a second magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in a plane defined by the first (X-Direction) and second directions (Z-Direction), wherein the second magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed offset from the centerline of the magnetic field such that an output from the at least one magnetic field orientation sensor measures a combination of the gap separation and the displacement in the first direction, wherein the first and second directions are orthogonal to each other; measuring, by a first magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in the first direction with reference to a reference field angle, wherein the first magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed substantially in alignment with a centerline of the magnetic field where the first magnetic field orientation sensor senses the reference field angle, measuring, by a second magnetic field orientation sensor, a field angle of the magnetic field in a plane defined by the first (X-Direction) and second directions (Z-Direction), wherein the second magnetic field orientation sensor is disposed offset from the centerline of the magnetic field such that an output from the at least one magnetic field orientation sensor measures a combination of the gap separation and the displacement in the first direction, wherein the first and second directions are orthogonal to each other; identifying, using the measurements of the magnetic field, (i) a displacement of first and second scanning sensor heads in the first direction, and (ii) a gap separation of the first and second scanning sensor heads in the second direction.