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Magnetic Exploration: - Basics - Measuremnts - Interpretation

Magnetic exploration uses measurements of the Earth's magnetic field to interpret subsurface geology. The Earth's magnetic field arises from electric currents in the Earth's core and outer core. It consists of a dipolar main field with components of total intensity, inclination, and declination that can be locally disturbed by magnetic minerals in rocks. These minerals become magnetized by thermoremanent, depositional, chemical, or viscous processes and create magnetic anomalies that indicate subsurface structures. Interpreting magnetic data involves analyzing anomalies and using properties like magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization.

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NEERAJ SINGH
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172 views20 pages

Magnetic Exploration: - Basics - Measuremnts - Interpretation

Magnetic exploration uses measurements of the Earth's magnetic field to interpret subsurface geology. The Earth's magnetic field arises from electric currents in the Earth's core and outer core. It consists of a dipolar main field with components of total intensity, inclination, and declination that can be locally disturbed by magnetic minerals in rocks. These minerals become magnetized by thermoremanent, depositional, chemical, or viscous processes and create magnetic anomalies that indicate subsurface structures. Interpreting magnetic data involves analyzing anomalies and using properties like magnetic susceptibility and remanent magnetization.

Uploaded by

NEERAJ SINGH
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Magnetic Exploration

•BASICS

•MEASUREMNTS

•INTERPRETATION
Geophysical Methods
Magnetic force and magnetic field
• magnetic force arises from moving electric charges
• A magnetic pole is the point at which the magnetic force
appears to originate
• Magnetic flux density F  ( p p / r )r
1 2
2
1
• magnetic permeability is a measure of the ability of a
material to convey a
• magnetic flux 
F / p2  ( p1 / r )r1 2

• B= μH in T (earth .00005T)
Flow of magnetic field

• Dipole moment m= pL
Earth’s magnetic field
Components of Earth’s Magnetic Field
Magnetic susceptibilities and
rememanent magnetization

(Königsberger ratio)
Remanant Magnetization

• Thermoremanent magnetization (TRM)


occurs when rocks form and are cooled
below the Curie temperature of the
magnetic minerals.
• Depositional remanent magnetization
(DRM) – alignment of magnetic minerals in
sediments during deposition due to the
surrounding magnetic field.
Remanant Magnetization

• Chemical remanent magnetization (CRM)


– chemical alteration of a rock during
diagenesis or metamorphism.
• Viscous remanent magnetization (VRM) –
alignment of domains as rock undergoes
viscous relaxation
Internal factors
• Reduction of the dipole field – observations show that Earth’s dipole moment (m) is
decaying: m = 9.5 ×1022 A m2 in 1550 to 7.9 ×1022 A m2 today (a decrease of over
15%).

• Westward drift – the location of the dipole axis is also changing. These changes result
in the magnetic field “drifting westward” relative to Earth’s surface at a rate of ~1 degree
longitude every 5 years. (movies are available at http://geomag.usgs.gov/movies/)

• Geomagnetic jerks – there are also very abrupt changes that happen in the magnetic
field on timescales of a few years. In 1969, the westward drift of the magnetic field
appeared to accelerate.

• Magnetic field reversals – the Earth’s magnetic field also reverses direction. It
appears that the reversals result in a switching of the north and south magnetic poles,
such that the magnetic dipole axis is always approximately aligned with the rotation
axis. The series of reversals is chaotic, with an average interval of ~250,000 years. The
last magnetic field reversal was ~780,000 years ago.
External factors
• Diurnal variations – the rotation of the Earth causes variations in the surface
magnetic field associated with the solar wind over the period of a day. The
fluctuations are smooth and regular and on a typical day (called a quiet day or Q day)
have an amplitude of 10-80 nT, with a maximum at high latitudes.

• Lunar variations – a smaller variation with a period of 25 days is observed due to


the orbit of the moon around the earth that interfered with the solar wind.

• Magnetic storms – days when the solar wind is more active than normal are called
disturbed days (or D days). This can produce large, short-term disturbances
(magnetic storms) in the surface magnetic field with a magnitude of 100-1000 nT.

• Sunspots and solar flares – Sunspots are dark regions on the Sun that represent
disturbances in solar activity. Solar flares are associated with sunspots – the flares
release large volumes of charged particles into the solar wind, which then affects the
Earth’s magnetic field. Sunspot activity follows an 11 year cycle.
Not to scale X
(magnetic

north)
X = 21515 nT
Y = -760
nT

Y
(magnetic
Z = 44985 nT Z (down) east)
Earth field (IGRF 2000)
Annual change in Total Magnetic Field
Map of Magnetic Inclination
Total Magnetic Field Intensity (1000 r’s)

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