Modern marine magnetic surveys involve measuring the Earth's total magnetic field while towing a magnetometer behind a moving ship. The magnetometer is now standard equipment on most marine surveys (see Sea Surveys) and is complementary to other geophysical systems such as seismic profilers, echo sounders (see Acoustic Surveys), and gravimeters. Modern marine magnetometers provide a continuous record of the Earth's total magnetic field along the ship's track. Magnetic values can be plotted on a map and then contoured for interpretation. With contoured magnetic maps, it is possible to identify and delineate magnetic anomalies , which is conjunction with other geophysical data, can be used to interpret the structural and lithologic character of the ocean bottom.
During the early 1900s it was necessary to use wooden ships to make accurate magnetic measurements at sea. The best known ship of this type was the Carnegie, which was used for magnetic surveys for 20 years before...
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References
Bullard, E. C., and R. G. Mason, 1963, The magnetic field over the oceans, in M. N. Hill, ed., The Sea, vol. 3. New York: Wiley-Interscience, 175–217.
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© 1988 Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc.
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Maley, T.S. (1988). Marine magnetic surveys . In: General Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30844-X_74
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