Updated:  25 September 2007

Australian Geomagnetism Report 2005 Summary

Introduction

During 2005 Geoscience Australia operated geomagnetic observatories at Kakadu and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory; Charters Towers in Queensland; Learmonth and Gnangara in Western Australia; Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory; Macquarie Island, Tasmania, in the sub-Antarctic; and Casey and Mawson in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The absolute magnetometers in routine service at the Canberra Magnetic Observatory also served as the Australian reference instruments. The calibration of these instruments can be traced to International Standards. Absolute magnetometers at all the other Australian observatories were referenced against those operated at the Canberra observatory.

Magnetic mean value data were provided to the World Data Centres for Geomagnetism at Boulder, USA and at Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as to the INTERMAGNET program. K indices, principal storms and rapid variations were scaled for the Canberra and Gnangara observatories, and provided regularly to the International Service of Geomagnetic Indices. K indices were also scaled for the Mawson observatory.

The repeat stations at Weipa, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island were re-occupied during a field survey during November in 2005.

This report describes instrumentation and activities, and presents monthly and annual mean magnetic values, plots of hourly mean magnetic values and K indices at the magnetic observatories and repeat stations operated by Geoscience Australia during calendar year 2005.


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For more information contact: geomag@ga.gov.au