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Magnetic Declination Report

Quispe Vargas, Alexis Paolo

School of Civil Engineering,
National University of San Agustín of Arequipa
Topography 2
Engineer Jorge Nina Quispe
October 20, 2021
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1. OBJECTIVES

1.1. OBJETIVO GENERAL.

Understand and apply each of the concepts (magnetic declination) in the area of
topography.

1.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES.

Understanding what refers to magnetic declination.

2. INTRODUCTION

El presente informe hace referencia al ángulo entre el Norte geográfico y el Norte magnético
which is referred to as Magnetic Declination
One of the main causes of study on the topics to be addressed is to achieve management of
depth of each of the concepts, to subsequently apply them to what is related to the area
of topography, which is part of one of the areas of interest concerning what has to do with the
civil engineering degree.

3. MAGNETIC DECLINATION OR LOCAL VARIATION

Magnetic declination is the acute angle between the direction of the horizontal component of
terrestrial magnetic field and the geographic or geodesic meridian The magnetic meridian
At each point on the earth, it forms an angle with the geographic meridian called declination.
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It can also be represented:

Nv
Nm

Where,
Nm: Represents the magnetic North.
N: The geographic or true North.
Magnetic declination (md)
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Nv
Nm

By convention:
If the magnetic North is to the right of true north, the declination is Ne (Northeast) or
positive.
Nv
Nm

If the magnetic North is to the left of the true north, the declination is NW (Northwest)
O negative.
Nv
Nm

3.1 The magnetic field on Earth:

The Earth behaves like a gigantic magnet located at its center, whose axis is tilted.
about 11º with respect to the axis of rotation, which generates magnetic force lines that enter through
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the magnetic north pole (near the geographic north pole) penetrate into the Earth and
they leave through the south magnetic pole.

The geomagnetic field measured at any point on the Earth's surface is a

combination of several magnetic fields generated by different sources, hence that the
magnetic declination is not constant at every point on Earth, but it experiences
periodic and continuous variations over time.

The magnetic North Pole is located about 1920 km from the true magnetic north.
planet. Each year the declination decreases by between 0.09 and 0.12 degrees depending on the location,

Currently, the magnetic north varies its position by about 60 kilometers per year.

For example, in France the magnetic declination varies between 0 and 5 degrees, magnetic North
situated to the west of true north.
During the 20th century, its position varied 1100 kilometers in distance.

3.2 Compass:
Magnetic declination is measured using declinometers or compasses of
declination. They are, essentially, a magnetometer that can rotate horizontally around
a vertical axis, installed in the center of a graduated limb. The needle determines the meridian
magnetic; the direction of geographic is determined by astronomical procedures, one
It is very elementary to determine the direction with the North Star.
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3.3 Magnetic cards:

This map shows the magnetic declination, intensity, or inclination over an area.
Dad. They are maps in which the points of the same magnetic declination are connected by means of
of lines called isogonals; the lines of zero declination are called agonic. The lines that
Points of the same inclination are called isoclines; the line of zero inclination is the
Magnetic Ecuador.
For example:

3.4 Nautical Charts:

Usually, sailors turn to these. In large-scale charts, where we assume that
The values of magnetic declination are considered equal for the entire area, the data appears.
of the magnetic declination for the entire chart in the 'rose of winds'. Said data
it will contain the value of the declination for the year of the letter's edition, as well as the
annual correction to be made.
On nautical charts, we will see a graduated circle from 000° to 360° indicating the value of
the magnetic declination (dm) for the year of publication of that chart and the value of the variation
annual.
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For example:

Variation
Annual and meaningful

Year

Value declination
the declension
local

From the compass rose of the figure, the value of the declination is obtained, which will be 6º 18’ W.
for the year 1998 and the annual increase will be 8' to the west.

To update this, that is, if we are in the year 2021 we will have to apply the following
formula:

= ñ ó

Where,

An annual surplus = 2021 - 1998 = 18

Replacing,

= 8′ x 23 = 144′ 03°4′00′′
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Adding or subtracting the total increase with the initial value, this step depends on the direction of
magnetic declination and annual variation

For this case, both are addressed to W, therefore,

Dm actual = 02°24′ 00′′ + 06°18′ 00′′ 9°22′ 00′′

To summarize,

Let us suppose that we are sailing in an area where the Magnetic North is
find East of True North (East Declination).

= +

Let's assume now that in the area we are navigating, the Magnetic North is to the West.
from Geographic North (West Declination).

= −
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In small-scale maps that cover larger land areas, the declinations

magnetic declinations will not be the same throughout the chart. In this case, the declinations are graphed with

parallel isogon lines.

When the magnetic meridian approaches the geographic one, the annual variation is known as
annual decrement, and when it moves away it is called annual increment.

3.5 Historical review:

The Chinese were the first to have a clear idea of magnetic declination. A thousand years before
In our era, the needle is known as an instrument of orientation; at least, this is deduced from
use of the so-called magnetic cars where some Fse-nau (indicators) were installed
from the south)

Diagram that demonstrates the knowledge of the

existence of magnetic declination. It was
extracted from a book from the early 10th century, called
The manual of the Blue Bag Angle of the
mysterious maiden of the nine skies. The
the diagram is titled 'The addresses and '
emanations of the fluctuating needle. The second and the
the fourth circle indicates points of the compass, but
They are deviated 7.5º due to a displacement of the magnetic declination.

Magnetic declination, however, is not mentioned until the 12th century, surely because the
the indications were very imprecise until then, as the needles were simple magnets
floating in the water and had excessive mobility.
In that century, the Chinese began to use needles suspended from a thread of cotton.
or silk and it seems that with them they were able to measure the declination, called by them variation,
as it is still known and called by navigators today. It seems that it must have been very erroneous
the calculation of the measurements was based on the meridian that determines the pole, but it
they know nautical charts from that time when the variation appears inscribed. Later on, in the
This element can be found in the famous world map by Andrea Bianco (1436).
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Columbus, in 1492, discovered the variability of the phenomenon depending on the location, found nearby.

from the Azores a line in which the declination went from being eastern to western (agonal line).
Columbus divided the Earth into two parts, limited by the magnetic meridian of zero declination,
on their travels to America. At that time, the Magnetic Pole was located to the East of
geographic.

Guillén de Sevilla and Alonso de Santa Cruz devised compasses to measure declination.
which at the same time served to determine the height of the Sun. The latter published the first map in 1530.
of variations.
Acosta says in his Natural History of the Indies that there are four lines of null declination.
on the surface of the Earth.
In 1616, Schouten noted several points of null variation near the Marquesas Islands. It influenced
in the improvement of the instruments for measuring declination, the idea that this
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The element could indicate the situation of a ship at sea and left notable work on the lines.
isogonic lines and other elements of terrestrial magnetism.

4. ERRORS IN MEASUREMENT

4.1 Precisión:
Measurement precision is the closeness existing between the indications or measured values.
obtained from repeated measurements of the same object, or of similar objects, under conditions
specific. These conditions are mainly referred to as repeatability conditions, or of
reproducibility. Like the other terms, since it is a qualitative term, not
numbers should be associated with it, so the statement 'the measurement accuracy of an angle
"is 25cc" would be incorrect. It should say, for example, "the measurement precision of an angle,
expressed as a standard deviation obtained under repeatability conditions, is 25cc
(Taylor and Kuyatt, 1994).
Mathematically, it is defined as:

∑ =1( − ̅ )2
=√
n-1
4.1.1 Application in topography:
In linear measurements, that is, of distances, the degree of precision can be expressed with the
relationship
1
ó = = 1: k

Where K is the measure in which a unitary error is committed. That is, when one has
a precision of 1:5000 means that for every 5000 meters an error of 1 meter is made,
Note that the same units are placed on each side, in this way it could be read
Similarly, for every 5000 millimeters, an error of 1 millimeter is made.
For the majority of topographic surveys, precision degrees have been defined.
recommended. These values should be compared with the values obtained in the field,
it must be preserved as long as the accuracy in the field is greater than or equal to the accuracy
recommended.
When it comes to angular measurements, the closing error has been defined, in this case angular,
only for closed polygons, in this case the closure error prevents the figure from closing, it is
saying that when graphing the field data, a closed polygon cannot be generated.
∈= √ Where∈ it is the permissible error and the approximation.
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The polygonal closing error is defined as the difference between the sum of the internal angles.
of the polygon measured in the field and the theoretical sum of the internal angles of the polygon. The
The theoretical sum of the internal angles of a closed polygon is given by the following
expression:

∑ theory = 180(n - 2)

Where n represents the number of sides of the polygon. For example, a triangle has three.
sides, then the sum of theoretical internal angles is:
= 180(n - 2)
ó = 180(3 - 2)
The angle = 180º
The theoretical sum of the external angles of a closed polygon is given by the following
expression:

∑ theory = 180(n + 2)

4.2 Accuracy:
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The accuracy of a measurement is the proximity between a measured value and a value.
true of a measured quantity. Thus, a measurement is more accurate the smaller the
measurement error. It is often said that a measurement is more accurate when it provides a
minor uncertainty.
An important distinction between accuracy and precision is that accuracy can be determined
with a single measurement, while to evaluate the accuracy several measurements are needed
(repeatability), precision cannot be discussed for a single measurement.
Mathematically, it is defined as:
−
% =| * 100%

Example of Precision vs Accuracy

CONCLUSIONS
The compass is an instrument of vital importance, which has been key for the study of
magnetic declination, as it allows us to orient ourselves in the environment in which we
we are, especially the sailors.
In navigation, the concept of magnetic declination has been very important, hence
has delved so deeply into the subject.
The magnetic declination is not the same in all areas of the Earth; in fact, there are points
in which the declension is zero.

Bibliography
C. (2014, 11 mayo).Declinación Magnética. Informe de Libros - chicli1.
[Link]
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