Engineering topics

Barraclough, D. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Barraclough, D. R..

6 records

NASA NTRS1992

Survey Data for Geomagnetic Field Modelling

The survey data discussed here are based on observations made relatively recently at points on land. A special subset of land survey data consists of those made at specially designated sites known as repeat stations. This class of data will be discussed in another part of this document (Barton, 1991b), so only the briefest of references will be made to repeat stations here. This discussion of 'ordinary' land survey data begins with a description of the spatial and temporal distributions of available survey data based on observations made since 1900. (The reason for this rather arbitrary choice of cut-off date is that this was the value used in the production of the computer file of magnetic survey data (land, sea, air, satellite, rocket) that is the primary source of data for geomagnetic main-field modeling). This is followed by a description of the various types of error to which these survey data are, or may be, subject and a discussion of the likely effects of such errors on field models produced from the data. Finally, there is a short section on the availability of geomagnetic survey data, which also describes how the data files are maintained.

Barraclough, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Definitive IGRF models for 1945, 1950, 1955, and 1960

Definitive internal geomagnetic field models are obtained for the epochs 1945, 1950, 1955, and 1960, with the solution including local biases for the fixed observatories. In order to derive a priori models for the epochs, the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (12/83) model (based on Magsat data) was projected backward in time using a spline fit to annual secular-variation models. An uncertainty model was developed which included estimates of the effects of crustal and core fields not represented by the model. Differences between biases from year to year are found to be within the predicted bounds.

Langel, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Geomagnetic temporal change: 1903-1982 - A spline representation

The secular variation of the earth's magnetic field is itself subject to temporal variations. These are investigated with the aid of the coefficients of a series of spherical harmonic models of secular variation deduced from data for the interval 1903-1982 from the worldwide network of magnetic observatories. For some studies it is convenient to approximate the time variation of the spherical harmonic coefficients with a smooth, continuous, function; for this a spline fitting is used. The phenomena that are investigated include periodicities, discontinuities, and correlation with the length of day. The numerical data presented will be of use for further investigations and for the synthesis of secular variation at any place and at any time within the interval of the data - they are not appropriate for temporal extrapolations.

Langel, R. A.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Spherical harmonic representation of the main geomagnetic field for world charting and investigations of some fundamental problems of physics and geophysics

Progress in the harmonic analysis of MAGSAT data is reported. Single-day data sets were subdivided into information on the sunrise side of the Earth and information on the sunset side of the Earth. Data for the main and external fields each demonstrate a clear and consistent systematic difference between the sets of data which was determined to be, due to ionospheric currents which differ from the sunset to the sunrise terminator. A toroidal field was analyzed for and determined to be an apparent toroidal field resulting from electric currents concentrated in the two terminators. Progressive elimination of auroral zone data demonstrates that the information presented does not arise from complications due to Birkeland currents.

Barraclough, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Spherical harmonic representation of the main geomagnetic field for world charting and investigations of some fundamental problems of physics and geophysics

Quiet-day data from MAGSAT were examined for effects which might test the validity of Maxwell's equations. Both external and toroidal fields which might represent a violation of the equations appear to exist, well within the associated errors. The external field might be associated with the ring current, and varies of a time-scale of one day or less. Its orientation is parallel to the geomagnetic dipole. The toriodal field can be confused with an orientation in error (in yaw). It the toroidal field really exists, its can be related to either ionospheric currents, or to toroidal fields in the Earth's core in accordance with Einstein's unified field theory, or to both.

Barraclough, D. R.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Spherical harmonic representation of the main geomagnetic field for world charting and investigations of some fundamental problems of physics and geophysics

The data processing of MAGSAT investigator B test tapes and data tapes, and tapes of selected data on 15 magnetically quiet days is reported. The 1980 World Chart spherical model was compared with the MAGSAT (3/80) and MAGSAT vector data were used in the models. An article on modelling the geomagnetic field using satellite data is included.

Barraclough, D. R.↗