The magnetic field of the Earth's lithosphere: the satellite perspective

Abstract

Many geological features of the Earth's lithosphere create variations in the Earth's magnetic field that can be detected by satellites. The resulting magneti anomaly maps can provide new insights into the tectonic features and broad structures of the lithosphere. This book documents the acquisition, reduction and analysis of satellite magnetic field data in the study of the Earth's lithosphere. The isolation of the lithospheric field from fields originating in the Earth's core, ionosphere and magnetosphere is discussed in detail, and a summary of the characteristics of each field is included. This work also provides a complete summary of published maps, and the methods used to create them. Rock magnetism concepts and sources of variation in magnetization are discussed to help the reader understand the issues in interpreting the data, and the various interpretation methods, such as forward modeling, are summarized. Results of data from North America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and the oceans illustrate the methodologies of interpretation, and the anomalies associated with particular geologic and tectonic settings. Mapping and interpreting lithospheric fields from satellite magnetic data calls for the solution of a new set of problems and the development of a new complement of analytic tools, and has resulted in the new sub-discipline of geomagnetism. Advances students and researchers will find that The Magnetic Field of the Earth's Lithosphere provides a much needed review of this important topic.