Magnetic
Methods
• In principle, magnetic surveying is similar to gravity, i.e., we are
dealing with potential fields.
There are three fundamental differences, however:
• we are dealing with vector fields, not scalar. We cannot always
assume that the magnetic field is vertical as we can for gravity.
• magnetic poles can be repulsive or attractive. They are not
always attractive as in gravity.
• the magnetic field is dependent on mineralogy, not bulk
properties. Thus, what may be a trivial (to us) change in
composition can have a large effect on the magnetic field
Applications
• Magnetic prospecting is used to search for oil and minerals, for archaeology
research and for searching for hazardous waste.
• The prime targets are the depth to basement (i.e., the thicknesses of sedimentary
sequences), igneous bodies, kimberlite pipes, hydrothermal alteration
(geothermal) and archaeology, e.g. fire pits, kilns and disturbed earth.
• Very recently, there has been a resurgence in interest in magnetic surveying
because of the advent of extremely high‐resolution surveys that can reveal
structure in sedimentary sequences
Basic Concepts and Definitions
Magnetic Poles
A B
Pole pole
Line of force
Positive Pole – which is attracted towards the earth’s north
magnetic pole.
Negative Pole – one which is attracted towards the earth’s
south magnetic pole.
Magnetic Force
The expression for magnetic force is obtained from coulomb’s law of
magnetic poles
CGS F = (m1m2 / μr2) η1
EMU F is the force in dyne on m2 the poles are r cm apart η1 is a unit
vector directed from m1 towards m
Magnetic Field Strength
A more practical quantity than the force, is the strength of
magnetic field existing at a point in space, as a result of a
pole of strength m located at a distance r from it.
The magnetic field strength
H = F / m' = (m / μr2) n1
m' is a fictitious pole at the point in space.
M' << M
Magnetic Moment
Two poles of strength + m and – m separated by a distance l
Magnetic moment M = m l
Intensity of Magnetization (or Polarization)
A magnetic body placed in an external magnetic field becomes
magnetized by induction.
The intensity of magnetization is proportional to the strength of the field and its
direction is in the direction of that field.
It is defined as the magnetic moment per unit volume that is
I = M/V = i n1
Practically this magnetization by induction amounts to lining up the dipoles of the
magnetic material. I is often referred to as the magnetic polarization if I is
constant and has the same directions throughout, the body is said to be uniformly
magnetized.
+ + + + + +
Positive poles on top surface
H ↑
- - - - - - - - - -
Magnetic Susceptibility
The degree to which the body is magnetized is
determined by its magnetic susceptibility.
K=i/H or I = KH
Susceptibility is the fundamental parameter in magnetic
prospecting, since the magnetic response of rocks and
minerals is determined by the amount of magnetic materials
in them and later have K value much larger than the rocks
and minerals themselves.
Magnetic Induction
The magnetic body which we are considering, when
placed in the external field H, has its internal poles more or
less lined up by the field H to produce a field of its own H1,
which increased the total field within the body. This extra
field is related to the intensity of magnetization.
The magnetic induction, B, is defined as the total field within
the body and can be written
B =H + H’ = H + 4πI
From I = KH
B = (1 + 4πK) H
Now by definition the ratio of induction B to magnetizing
force H is the, magnetic permeability, μ.
Thus B = (1 + 4πK) H = μH
μ = (1 + 4πK) is the relation between magnetic susceptibility
and permeability.
In CGS unit B is in gauss
μ becomes gauss / oersted
However, since μ is dimensionless in these units, the gauss is
dimensionally same as the oersted.
Magnetic Units
• Gamma (γ), which is the same as the nanoTesla (nT),
is used:
• 1 γ = 10‐9 Tesla (or Weber/m2 – SI unit)
• The strength of the Earth’s field is about 50,000 γ.
• Typical anomalies have amplitudes of a few 100 γ. The
desirable field precision is usually 1 γ, or 10‐5 of the
Earth’s total field.
• This contrasts with gravity, where desirable field
precision is 0.01 mGal, or 10‐8 of the Earth’s field
Geomagnetic field is composed of three parts
• The main field which although not constant in time,
varies relatively slowly and is of internal origin.
• The external field, a small fraction of the main field,
which varies rather rapidly, partly cyclically and partly
randomly and which originates outside the Earth.
• Variation of the main field, usually but not always
smaller than the main field, relatively constant in time
and place and caused by local magnetic anomalies in the
near surface of the Earth, these are the target in
magnetic prospecting.
The main field
Elements of the Earth’s Magnetic field:
If a steel needle, not previously magnetized, could be
hung at its centre by a thread so that it were free to orient
itself in any direction in space, at most points on the Earth’s
surface it would assume a direction neither horizontal nor in
line with the geographical meridians.
This orientation is the direction of the Earth’s total
magnetic field at this point.
The magnitude of this field F, the inclination of the
needle from the horizontal, I, and its declination, D, the angle
it makes with magnetic north, completely define the magnetic
field.
The Various magnetic elements are illustrated
in figure below.
In addition to F, I and D, there are Z (or V), the vertical, the vertical
component positive downwards,
H, the horizontal component, which is always positive.
X, Y the component of H considered positive to the north and east
i l
• From the diagram we have the following relations among
these elements:
• F2 = H2 + Z2 = X2 + Y2 + Z2
• H = F cos I, Z = F sin I, tanI = Z/H
• X = H cos D, Y = H sin D, tan D = Y/X
• Lines of equal declination, inclination, horizontal intensity,
etc when plotted on map are called isomagnetics charts.