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Values About Ancient Magnetic Poles, Declination, Inclination, and Intensity, That Can Be Used to Track the Magnetic Pole and Continent Movements

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: December 18, 2025 | Last Modified: 1993-01-01T00:00:00.000+00:00
The study of magnetism is one of the oldest of the geophysical sciences. It is unique among the sciences in that ancient records of the geomagnetic field are preserved in rocks and changes in the field can be traced through time. To assist the scientist studying the Earth's ancient magnetization, the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) has available the following data of paleopole positions and paleomagnetic directions. The Global PaleoMagnetic Directions and Poles Data Base (GPMDB) Version 3.1 revised May 1995. This data base, established by M. McElhinny and J. Lock under the authority of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA), contains all published data up to 1995 and has references linked to data results. The data base was developed under MicroSoft Access 2.0 and includes following information: AUTHORS, Table of authors, linked to REFERENCE and ROCKUNIT The REFERENCE, Table of books, journals etc. from which data were extracted ROCKUNIT, position, geology, age, and structure information PMAGRESULT, results, reversal test, lab test, tilt corrections and comments ALTRESULT, pole position and statistics where derived from VGP FIELDTESTS, type of field tests done and results with commentary Several other related data bases are available including Paleointensity (PALIN), Polarity Transitions (TRANS), and Secular Variation (SECVR).

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