Commonly-Used Meridians

• True north (astronomic north) through the

CVEN303 ENGINEERING MEASUREMENT geographic poles about which the Earth
rotates. This is fixed (doesn’t change with
time).
Lecture 10 – Compass & Magnetic Bearings
• Magnetic north  the direction of the earth's
(Sec. 4.12) magnetic lines of force. This varies with date,
time and locality.
2013 • Grid north  A true north is established for
one point in a particular zone. All other points
in that zone use the same line of direction as
north.
Developed by Nasir Gharaibeh, PhD, PE & Calvin • Arbitrary (or assumed) meridian  a direction
Woods, PhD, PE adopted for a particular project for
convenience.
Zachry Department of Civil Engineering
Texas A&M University 1 2

Magnetic Declination Magnetic Declination Example 1

Polaris

TN MN

10°E
True North (TN) Magnetic North (MN)

Magnetic Declination varies with Magnetic

Location and with Time. Declination
Declination is 10° E (positive)

Magnetic declination, sometimes called O If Magnetic North is east of True North, the
magnetic variation, is the angle between
magnetic north and true north. Declination declination is E (East) Declination.
is considered positive east of true north
and negative when west.
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Magnetic Declination Example 2 Determining True North by Using a Compass and

the Magnetic Declination

If the Magnetic Bearing of line AB is 32° and the declination is 8°E,

MN TN what is the True Bearing of line AB?

8°W Draw a sketch showing true north, magnetic north, and line AB.

Declination is 8° W (negative)
To be solved in class.

If Magnetic North is west of True North the

declination is W (West) Declination.

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Answers: Magnetic Bearing = N32°E; True Bearing = N40°E

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 Magnetic Declination Map for North America in 2010
Isogonic Map (in degrees)
Lake Eye

8°E
7°E
5°E 6°E
4°E
Fish Island

2’E/yr 3’E/yr 4’E/yr

Magnetic Bearing @ Lake Eye = 7° 30’ E
∆ Magnetic Bearing = 4’ E per year

Isogonic Line – a line on a map connecting

points of equal magnetic declination.
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Map from http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/declination.shtml

Declination (degrees west) in Washington, DC Examples

1750 - 2005
• On Feb 1, 2013
• Magnetic Declination = 17°15’E
• Rate of Change = 15’W per year
• What is the Magnetic Declination on Feb 1, 2012? and what will
it be on Feb 1, 2014?
To be solved in class.

Magnetic Declination varies with Location and with Time.

9 Answers: Magnetic Declination on Feb 1, 2012 =7°30’ E; 10

Magnetic Declination on Feb 1, 2014=7°00’ E

National Geophysical Data Center Finding Magnetic Declination

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag-web/#declination http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag-web/#declination

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 Example Surveying Problem
• A map from the fall of 1865 shows the true bearing of line CD as S13 45’W.
On 2/1/13, you are asked to verify this true bearing. How will you do that?
• On 2/1/13, Magnetic Declination = 9 50’ W

To be solved in class

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