Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T14:12:15.711Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Measurement of declination at South Georgia 1700–1984

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

D. A. Simmons
D. A. Simmons
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OET
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Declination, or the difference between true and magnetic north, is one of the earliest parameters to have been measured systematically over the earth's surface. Values are available for South Georgia and the surrounding area from 1700 to the present. Observations were made from ship by Edmond Halley in 1700, by James Cook in 1775 and thereafter more frequently. Land-based observations were made during the First Polar Year in 1882–3, more recently by the British Antarctic Survey 1975–82. Declination has diminished from 23°E in 1700 to about 9°W in 1980, approximately 0.1° per annum. The modern observations suggest that the rate of change has slowed in recent years.

Type
Articles
Information
Polar Record , Volume 23 , Issue 145 , January 1987 , pp. 419 - 426
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Admiralty, . 1859. A manual of scientific enquiry; prepared for the use of Her Majesty's Navy: and for travellers in general. London, John Murray.Google Scholar
Annals of the Igy. 1959. Vol I: The histories of the International Polar Years: 59–63. London, Pergamon.Google Scholar
Ault, J. P. and Mauchly, S. J. 1926. Ocean magnetic and electric observations, 1915–1921. Washington, Carnegie Institute.Google Scholar
Barraclough, D. R. 1985. Halley's Atlantic surveys. In Schroder, W. (editor). Historical events and people in geosciences. Selected papers from the symposia of the Interdivisional commissions on history of IAGA during the IUGG General Assembly, held in Hamburg, 1983: 163– 83. Frankfurt, Peter Lang.Google Scholar
Beaglehole, J. C. (editor). 1955. The journals of Captain James Cook on his voyages of discovery. Vol 2, the voyage of the Resolution and Adventure 1772–1775. London, Hakluyt Society.Google Scholar
Berghaus, H. K. W. 1852. Physikalischer Atlas. Gotha.Google Scholar
Bloxham, J. and Gubbins, D. 1985. The secular variation of the Earth's magnetic field. Nature, 317: 777–781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Debenham, F. (editor). 1945. The voyages of Captain Bellingshausen to the Antarctic seas, 1819–1821. London, Hakluyt Society.Google Scholar
Falconer, W. 1830. A new and universal dictionary of the Marine. London, John Murray.Google Scholar
Filchner, W. 1922. Zum sechsten Erdteil. Die zweite Deutsche Sudpolar Expedition. Berlin, Verlag Ullstein.Google Scholar
Gellibrand, H. 1635. A Discourse mathematical on the variation of the Magnetical Needle. London.Google Scholar
Great Britain. 1920. Report of the Interdepartmental committee on Research and development in the Dependencies of the Falkland Islands. London, British Parliamentary papers, 1920. CMD 657, XVI: 309.Google Scholar
Hansteen, C. 1842. Historisk frenstilling af havd der fra det forlobne Seculums Begynelelse til vor Tider udrettet for Jordmagnetis mens Theorie. Proceedings of the Third Meeting of the Scandinavian Natural Scientists: 68–80. Stockholm.Google Scholar
Headland, R. K. 1982. The German station of the first International Polar Year, 1882–1383, at South Georgia, Falkland Islands Dependencies. Polar Record, 21(132): 287–301.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McConnell, A. 1980. Geomagnetic instruments before 1900. London, Harriet Wynter.Google Scholar
Muller, J. 1914. Einiges aus der Geschichte der Sudpolar-forschung, unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der letzten deutschen antarktischen Expedition und ihrer Navigation. Berlin, Hermann Blanke's Buchdruckereri.Google Scholar
Sabine, Sir E. 1868. Contributions to Terrestrial Magnetism, XI. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 158: 371–416.Google Scholar
Simmons, D. A. 1985. Geomagnetic measurements at South Georgia 1975–1982. Cambridge, British Antarctic Survey.Google Scholar
Simmons, D. A. 1986. Geomagnetic repeat measurements at Grytviken, November 1984. British Antarctic Survey Bulletin, 71: 69–72.Google Scholar
Thrower, N. J. W. (editor). 1980. The three voyages of Edmond Halley in the ‘Paramore’ 1698–1701. London, Hakluyt Society.Google Scholar
Wales, W. and Bayly, W. 1777. The original astronomical observations made in the course of a voyage towards the South Pole and around the World, in His Majesty's ships the Resolution and Adventure. London.Google Scholar
Weddell, J. 1970. A voyage towards the South Pole, performed in the years 1822–4. 2nd edition, London 1827. Reprint 1970, Newton Abbot, David and Charles.Google Scholar