Magnetic Survey Lab
Summary
To do a "magnetic survey" in the lab to understand the nature of magnetic anomalies, and to plot the data using profiles and contour maps.
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Context
Audience
Undergraduate course for geosciences and physics majors on geophysics.
Skills and concepts that students must have mastered
How the activity is situated in the course
Stand-alone exercise as part of the section of the course on geomagnetism.
Goals
Content/concepts goals for this activity
Magnetic surveys
Magnetic anomalies
Contour maps
Magnetic anomalies
Contour maps
Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity
Visualization of 3-dimensional anomalies
Subsurface imaging using surficial measurements
Subsurface imaging using surficial measurements
Other skills goals for this activity
operating analytical equipment
using the WWW
working in groups
using Surfer
using the WWW
working in groups
using Surfer
Description and Teaching Materials
Student handout for magnet in a box exercise (Microsoft Word 28kB Apr30 12)
Needed - laboratory fluxgate magnetometer that can read in microteslas
Needed - Surfer or other contouring software, or contouring can be done by hand
Teaching Notes and Tips
Have a pre-collected data set ready in case needed.
Illustrate basic use of Surfer as a tutorial.
Suggest good graphical style.
Illustrate basic use of Surfer as a tutorial.
Suggest good graphical style.
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Assessment
Can the students apply and use Surfer for other data sets.