Magnetic data — What am I looking at?

Abstract

For a number of years in geophysical surveying, the use of certain technical terms that describe data has not been consistent. This is particularly apparent in the field of magnetic surveying, which is the most commonly practiced technique. Across the world, there are multiple companies and clients that collect and employ magnetic data acquired via ground, airborne, or marine platforms. However, what they mean by certain terms is either imprecisely defined, ambiguous, or significantly different. Terms that are accurate and consistent will help the end user understand what they are actually looking at. We describe the most commonly used terms for magnetic data and discuss how these terms should and should not be used.