Magnetic Survey

Measurements of the magnetic field or its components

at a series of different locations over an area of
interest, usually with the objective of locating
concentrations of magnetic materials or of determining
depth to basement.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: the definition

According to the Coulomb law, the magnetic force, Fm, acting
between two magnetic monopoles is given by:

1 p1 p2
Fm
,
2
r

where:

is a constant of proportionality known as the magnetic

permeability.

p1 and p2 are the charges of the two magnetic monopoles.

r is the distance between the two poles.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: the units

The units in SI are:
Fn is in Newtons [N].
r is in meters [m].
p1 and p2 are in Ampere times meter [Amp m].
In other words, if the force is equal 1 Newton and the two
magnetic poles are separated by 1 meter, the poles
charge is equal to 1 Ampere meter.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: related notes

Note the similarities to the gravitational force, i.e., the
1/r2 dependence.
Unlike the gravitational constant, the magnetic
permeability, , is a material property.
p1 and p2 can be either of a positive or a negative sign. If
p1 and p2 are of the same sign, the Coulomb force is
repulsive, otherwise it is attractive.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: magnetic monopoles

A recipe for calculating a magnetic monopole:
1. Place a negative pole at (-1,0).
2. Take a positive pole and place it at some location (x,z), and compute the
magnetic force.
3. Repeat step-2 by moving the positive pole to a new location.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: magnetic

monopoles

Similarly, one can get a positive monopole:

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: magnetic monopoles

Magnetic monopoles have never actually been observed! Instead, the
fundamental magnetic element is the magnetic dipole, which consists of two
magnetic monopoles.

Note that the arrows come out of the monopole labeled N and into the
monopole labeled S.

The Coulomb (magnetic) force: field lines

A common way to visualize the magnetic force field associated with a
magnetic dipole is to plot the field lines for the force. Field lines are a set of
lines drawn such that they are everywhere parallel to the direction of the
force.

The geomagnetic field

geomagneticfield = dipole + nondipole.

A comment on Brunton compass

adjustment...

Simulation of the interaction

between Earth's magnetic field and
the interplanetary magnetic field.
The magnetosphere is compressed
on the day (Sun) side due to the
force of the arriving particles, and
extended on the night side.

The geomagnetic field

The origin of the dipole field is in the liquid core. This field
and its reversals have been simulated numerically by
Glazmaire and Roberts [1995].

http://www.psc.edu/research/graphics/gallery/geodynamo.html

The geomagnetic field

Nondipole field:

Question: what gives

rise to the nondipole
component?

The geomagnetic field

Two main effects act to produce a nondipole field:

1) Solar wind.

The geomagnetic field

2) Screening by the mantle and the lithosphere.

The strength of the geomagnetic field

The magnetic field strength, H, is defined as the force per unit pole exerted
by a magnetic monopole, p1:

Fm 1 p1
H

.
2
p2 r
Note that the magnetic field strength is the magnetic analog to the
gravitational acceleration.
H is measured in units of Tesla ,T, where: 1 T = N Amp-1 m-1.

When describing the magnetic field strength of the earth, it is more

common to use units of nanoTeslas, nT. The average strength of the Earth's
magnetic field is about 50,000 nT.

Similarities between geomagnetics and gravity

Passive measurement of a naturally occurring field of the earth.
Potential fields - thus, the mathematics is similar.
The interpretations are non-unique.

Differences between geomagnetics and gravity

While the gravitational force is always attractive, the magnetic force can be
either attractive or repulsive.
While the gravitational field may
be described as a sum of monopoles
(single point sources), the
geomagnetic field is described in
terms of magnetic dipole, i.e., the
sum of a positive and a negative
monopole.
While the gravitational field does not change significantly with time, the
magnetic field is highly time dependent.

Induced magnetization and magnetic susceptibility

When a magnetic material is placed within a magnetic field, H, the magnetic
material will produce its own magnetization.
The intensity of the induced magnetization, Ji, is given by:

J i H,
where , the magnetic susceptibility, is a unitless number, property of the
material.

Induced magnetization
and magnetic
susceptibility
The values given here are for SI,
International System Units.
While the spatial variation in density are
relatively small (between 1 and 3 Kg m-3,
magnetic susceptibility can vary as much
as four to five orders of magnitude.
Wide variations in susceptibility occur
within a given rock type. Thus, it will be
extremely difficult to determine rock types
based on magnetic prospecting

Induced magnetization and magnetic susceptibility

The value of the magnetic susceptibility can take on either positive or
negative values.
Positive value means that the induced magnetic field, I, is in the same
direction as the inducing field, H.

Induced magnetization and magnetic susceptibility

Negative value means that the induced magnetic field is in the opposite
direction as the inducing field.

Remnant magnetization
If the magnetic material has relatively large
susceptibilities, or if the inducing field is strong, the
magnetic material will retain a portion of its induced
magnetization even after the induced field disappears.
This remaining magnetization is called remnant
magnetization.
The total magnetic field is a sum remnant
of the main magnetic field
produced in the Earth's core, and
the remnant field within the
material.

induced
total

Describing the magnetic field at a point

Declination: The angle between north and the horizontal projection of the
magnetic vector. This value is measured positive through east and varies
from 0 to 360 degrees.
Inclination: The angle between the surface of the earth and the magnetic
vector. Positive declinations indicate the vector points downward, negative
declinations indicate it points upward. Declination varies between -90 and 90
degrees.

End