JEF 322 - Geomagnetism

Course Objectives

1. To provide knowledge about the source of the Earth magnetic field,
2. To provide knowledge observed properties of the Earth magnetic field,
3. To provide an ability to associer Earth with the surrounding media,
4. To provide knowledge about the magnetization properties of the rocks and induced
magnetization,
5. Physical back ground needed for magnetic prospecting will also be given when discussing
magnetization of solid earth material.

Course Description

Basic concept on magnetic field and magnetizations: magnetic pole, magnetic force line,
Coulomb’s law, magnetic potential of a single pole, lines of force from a unit magnetic pole,
description of dipole and dipole field, behaviour of a dipole in the presence of uniform and nonuniform magnetic field, the forces between bar magnets-magnetic field of a uniformly
magnetized sphere-magnetic elements – Laboratory instruments for magnetic mesurements:
theodolite, QHM, BMZ, Earth inductor, proton magnetometer, flux-gate magnetometer, optically
pumped magnetometers, Helmholtz Coil systems – instruments used to measure variation of
Earth’s magnetic field (variometers) – interpretation of magnetograms – variation of Earth’s
magnetic field in space and in time – ionosphere – systematic measurements of Earth’s magnetic
field over the sphere – spherical harmonic analysis – the hypothesis on the cause of Earth’s
magnetic field – magnetic fields of the other planets – behaviour of the Earth’s magnetic field in
geological times – kinds of magnetizations – minerals responsible for magnetization of the rocks
– acqusition of natural remanent magnetizations in nature – collecting oriented rock samples –
instruments used in measurement of remanent magnetization – reliability tests for remanent
magnetization – calculating of mean direction of remanent magnetization and statistical
parameters – reversal of Earth’s magnetic field – palaeomagnetic pole positions and its
wandering – palaeomagnetism and continental drift.