Cape Evans Magnetic Observatory Magnetograms
Magnetograms are records of variations in the strength and direction of the Earth’s magnetic field. Historically these magnetograms were recorded on paper using photographic techniques. In the UK, measurements were made at eight long-running observatories; Abinger, Eskdalemuir, Falmouth, Greenwich, Hartland, Kew, Lerwick, and Stonyhurst. BGS also hold magnetogram records from the Cape Evans observatory that ran continuously at Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic base camp during the British Antarctic Expedition 1910–13. The magnetogram collection, one of the longest running geomagnetic series in the world, provides a continuous record of more than 160 years of UK measurements. These magnetograms start in the 1840s and end in 1986 at which time digital recording of the magnetic field took over and magnetograms can be produced by computer graphic. The plots show variation in the Earth's magnetic field, typically over a 24-hour period. The collection is a valuable, partly untapped data resource for studying geomagnetic storms, space weather and the evolution of the Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetograms provide insight into: • the Earth’s outer core: long-term change (years to centuries) in the dynamo that sustains our magnetic field • space weather: short-term changes (seconds to days) in near-Earth space and on the ground • space climate: long-term change (decades to centuries) in solar activity and consequences for Earth’s environment All the above have an impact on human activities. For example, bad space weather affects technologies that we increasingly rely on, such as electrical power and GPS networks. In response to the threat of loss from degradation due to age and a desire to preserve and exploit old data, BGS undertook a programme of work to digitally photograph, archive and preserve the analogue paper records of magnetic field variation in the United Kingdom. Between 2009 and 2013, high-quality digital images of every available magnetogram were taken. These images are available to search online. Scientists and the general public around the world can now gain easy access to this historical dataset.
Default
Identification info
- Metadata Language
- English (en)
- Dataset Reference Date ()
- 1911
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
British Geological Survey
-
Enquiries
0115 936 3276
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
0115 936 3142
0115 936 3276
- Maintenance and update frequency
- notPlanned
- GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0
- BGS Thesaurus of Geosciences
-
- UK Location (INSPIRE)
- Geomagnetism
- Observatories
- Keywords ()
- Keywords
-
- NERC_DDC
- Limitations on Public Access
- otherRestrictions
- Other constraints
- Unrestricted access and use.
- Use constraints
- otherRestrictions
- Other constraints
- The copyright of materials derived from the British Geological Survey's work is vested in the Natural Environment Research Council [NERC]. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, via the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Manager. Use by customers of information provided by the BGS, is at the customer's own risk. In view of the disparate sources of information at BGS's disposal, including such material donated to BGS, that BGS accepts in good faith as being accurate, the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) gives no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the quality or accuracy of the information supplied, or to the information's suitability for any use. NERC/BGS accepts no liability whatever in respect of loss, damage, injury or other occurence however caused.
- Other constraints
- Either: (i) the dataset is made freely available, e.g. via the Internet, for a restricted category of use (e.g. educational use only); or (ii) the dataset has not been formally approved by BGS for access and use by external clients under licence, but its use may be permitted under alternative formal arrangements; or (iii) the dataset contains 3rd party data or information obtained by BGS under terms and conditions that must be consulted in order to determine the permitted usage of the dataset. Refer to the BGS staff member responsible for the creation of the dataset if further advice is required. He / she should be familiar with the composition of the dataset, particularly with regard to 3rd party IPR contained in it, and any resultant use restrictions. This staff member should revert to the IPR Section (ipr@bgs.ac.uk ) for advice, should the position not be clear.
- Spatial representation type
- textTable
- Denominator
- 10000
- Topic category
-
- Geoscientific information
- Extent
-
ANTARCTICA [id=880000]
- Dataset Reference Date ()
- 1979
N
S
E
W
![](https://data-search.nerc.ac.uk/geonetwork/srv/api/regions/geom.png?geomsrs=EPSG:4326&geom=POLYGON((167%20-77.7,167%20-77.6,166%20-77.6,166%20-77.7,167%20-77.7)))
- Begin date
- 1911
- End date
- 1912
- Additional information
- Last magnetogram was for 01-DEC-1912. All magnetograms that were recorded are available. Observatories are at several UK locations.
- Code
- WGS 84 (EPSG::4326)
Distribution Information
- Data format
-
-
PAPER - Paper copies.
()
-
Digital Image
()
-
PAPER - Paper copies.
()
- Resource Locator
- BGS Magnetograms - Homepage
- Resource Locator
- BGS Magnetograms - Homepage
- Quality Scope
- dataset
- Other
- dataset
Report
- Dataset Reference Date ()
- 2011
- Explanation
- See the referenced specification
- Degree
Report
- Dataset Reference Date ()
- 2010-12-08
- Explanation
- See http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:323:0011:0102:EN:PDF
- Degree
- Statement
- Original paper magnetograms recorded using photographic techniques at Cape Evans magnetic observatory. Magnetograms start in the 1911 and end in 1912. In response to the threat of loss from degradation due to age and a desire to preserve and exploit old data, BGS undertook a programme of work to digitally photograph, archive and preserve the analogue paper records of magnetic field variation in the United Kingdom. Between 2009 and 2013, high-quality digital images of every available magnetogram were taken. These images are available to search online. Scientists and the general public around the world can now gain easy access to this historical dataset.
Metadata
- File identifier
- 17f16200-130c-1821-e063-0937940ae82e XML
- Metadata Language
- English (en)
- Resource type
- dataset
- Metadata Date
- 2024-09-05
- Metadata standard name
- UK GEMINI
- Metadata standard version
- 2.3
British Geological Survey
The Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South
,
EDINBURGH
,
LOTHIAN
,
EH14 4AP
,
United Kingdom
+44 131 667 1000