Corrections of Magnetic Data

The magnetometer readings obtained in the field are converted

into magnetic intensities in gammas by using the constant.
The magnetic intensity values are corrected for
 Temperature Correction
 Diurnal Correction
 Normal correction
 Elevation and Terrain Corrections (Gravity Correction)
 Temperature Correction

 Changes in temperature affect the magnet system, but

practically all modern magnetometers contain
temperature compensated systems.

 Corrections are seldom applied for temperature

variations normally prevailing in field conditions. This
correction hardly exceeds 1 gamma per degree.
 Temperature correction

older instruments using permanent magnets were

temperature dependent
most modern instruments are temperature
compensated and therefore correction is
negligible
changes due to temperature are generally
incorporated into the diurnal variation correction
 Diurnal Corrections
 Diurnal changes in the magnetic field are related to the rotation of
the earth. The changes are greater and more irregular during the day
than at night. Changes range – 100 or more gammas.

A continuous recorded of the changes in diurnal variations using

magnetic recording instrument. If it is not available, the field
magnetometer used to read the variations, by using the observations
over a base station several times days during the course of the days
survey.
Second instrument is available, readings can be taken separately at
the base station every half an hour.

If there are magnetic storms, the variations may be large and highly
fluctuating, on such rare occasions become necessary to suspend the
field work.
 Magnetic observatories situated not far from the survey area to
be obtain information on diurnal variations and magnetic storms.

 The diurnal variations are plotted by the observed values against

respective times.

 Diurnal variation curve obtained by a field of the ONGC, by

repeat readings at a base station in the cambay area.

 This curve shows two peaks, one at 11.00 AM and the other at
3.00PM with a low at 12noon.

 The measurements are to a standard reference time at the base

station, by adding or subtracting by which the diurnal variation
curve is below or a above its value at the reference time.
 After applying the corrections for diurnal variations, the values
obtained for the various stations are such as would have been
obtained had the readings of all the stations been taken at the
same time.

 assume linear rate of change

 use recording base station magnetometer
 algebraic difference between "t" and "t" = 0 is the correction
 Diurnal Correction

Stormy Day

If too ‘stormy’, survey is discontinued.

• Correction data provided by:
• Repeat base station
measurements or tie lines.
• Continuously recording base station.
 Magnetic Storms

Short term disturbances in magnetic field associated with sun spot activity
and streams of charged particles from sun. Can be up to 1000 nT in
magnitude, and make magnetic surveying impossible. Magnetic Surveying
 Normal Corrections

 Normal variations of magnetic intensives with the changes in

latitude and longitude.
 The total intensity of the earth’s field at the northern
magnetic pole is about + 63,500 gammas, while at the
southern magnetic pole it is about – 70,000 gammas.

 The intensity at the magnetic equator is about 39,000

gammas. There is difference of about 30,000gamas between
the magnetic poles and the equator but the variation cannot
be calculated as a function of latitude, since the rate of
change is not regular.
 In general, the total field intensity T, as also the vertical
component Z, both of which are minimum at the magnetic
equator, increase with increasing latitude.
 The horizontal component is maximum at the magnetic equator,
and diminishes with increase at latitude the correction for
variations may be 8 to 10 gammas per km.

 Some latitudes, whereas the longitude corrections are usually

quite small about 2gammas per km, and it is neglected.
 Latitude and longitude corrections are usually combined and its
known as normal corrections. This also includes geological
variations , its giving rise to the broad ‘regional gradients’.

 The variations can be determined and subtracted to reduce the

intensity for each of the stations in the area surveyed.
• In mining exploration, where magnetic anomaly intensities are
often large, and surveys are confined to relatively small areas, the
corrections for diurnal changes, latitude and longitude variations
can be neglected.

• In petroleum exploration, where the magnitudes of the

anomalies are usually small and the area is spread over several
hundreds or thousands of square kilometers.
• The latitude and longitude effects should invariably be removed
by the regional gradients and applying correction to the observed
values.
 Normal Corrections

removal of International Geomagnetic Reference

Field (IGRF)

setting base equal to zero and removing this value

from the data; this is equivalent to removing IGRF
and brings all base readings to a common value
 Diurnal variations -> daily
associated with ionization of the upper atmosphere
by solar radiation in sympathy with tidal effects of
the Earth and moon;
variation is generally 20 - 80 nT.
 Magnetic storms ->
rapid and violent changes associated with sunspot
activity;
can exceed a 1000 nT of change over 24 hrs.
 Elevation and Terrain Corrections
 Vertical gradient is a maximum of about 0.03nT/m at
poles and 0.01 nT/m at equator.
 Elevation correction
 Generally not required for ground surveys
 Only in airborne when large elevation changes
experienced
 Terrain correction
 Only comes into play near the base of steep slopes of high k
material
 Preparation of Magnetic Anomaly Maps and Profiles
• After the necessary corrections have been applied, the
reduced values in gammas are plotted on a map showing the
station location, and contour lines are drawn by joining the
points equal magnetic intensity at suitable intervals.

• In mining field exploration , the anomalies are of large

magnitude and the contour intervals may be 50 to 100% or
more .

• In oil exploration, the anomalies are weak, contour intervals

at 10 to 20 gammas maybe necessary.

• In considering magnetic anomalies , the determination of the

‘zero level’. The level of the normal geomagnetic field, is
helpful and important for interpretation.
• When the magnetic intensities along a profile fluctuate rapidly
or irregularly, the determination of the zero level can be
difficult.

• The anomalies depend on a number of factors like the shape,

size, depth, and the magnetic susceptibility, and the extent of
remanent magnetism, if any of the causative body.
Secular Variations
 The International Geomagnetic Reference Field
(IGRF) 
IGRF is standard mathematical description of the Earth’s main
magnetic field and its secular variation. It is the product of a
collaborative effort between magnetic field modellers and the
institutes involved in collecting and disseminating magnetic field
data from satellites and from observatories and surveys around
the world.

IGRF will give the theoretical values of the 7 magnetic elements at

any location in the globe
 Elements of the Earth's magnetic field

The magnetic field at any point on the Earth's surface can

be described by 3 vectors and 2 angles.
The 3 vectors are:
Horizontal field (H)
Vertical field (Z)
Total field (T)
The 2 angles are:
Declination (D)
Inclination (I)
Equations relating these 3 vectors and 2 angles include:
H = T cosI
Z = T sinI = H tanI
X = H cosD
Y = H sinD
X2 + Y2 = H2
X2 + Y2 + Z2 = T2 = H2 + Z2
Isomagnetic maps: contour maps of equal
 declination -> isogonic
 inclination -> isoclinic
 magnetic field value -> isodynamic
Magnetic dip poles -> locations on the Earth's surface where I = ±90o
The magnetic dip poles presently located at:
 75oN, 101oW (North magnetic pole)
 67oS, 143oE (South magnetic pole)
 Geomagnetic poles -> location on the Earth's surface
where the poles of a theoretical dipole (a mathematical
best fit solution - IGRF) would be located
 The geomagnetic poles are presently located at:
 78.5oN, 70oW (North geomagnetic pole)
 78.5oS, 110oE (South geomagnetic pole)
 Time perturbations of Earth's magnetic field:
 Long term changes -> reversals
 Secular changes -> greater that one year
Shown below is the historic record of geomagnetic field direction at Greenwich,
England.
 Diurnal variations -> daily
associated with ionization of the upper atmosphere
by solar radiation in sympathy with tidal effects of
the Earth and moon;
variation is generally 20 - 80 nT.
 Magnetic storms ->
rapid and violent changes associated with sunspot
activity;
can exceed a 1000 nT of change over 24 hrs.