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II—The Use of Compasses in High Latitudes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

A. V. Thomas
A. V. Thomas
Affiliation:
(Admiralty Compass Observatory)
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Extract

The Earth's magnetic field can evidently be divided into its horizontal and vertical components, the horizontal component being of more immediate interest to the navigator since it directs the compass needle in the horizontal plane. Whereas on the magnetic equator the full field is horizontal (about 0·400 c.g.s. units), in high latitudes, with the angle of dip between 60° and 70°, H, the horizontal force, maybe about 0·180 c.g.s. units. At the magnetic pole H is negligible and, given the opportunity, the compass needle would point vertically downwards, the instrument then having no directional properties in the horizontal plane.

Information

Type
Surface Navigation in High Latitudes
Information
The Journal of Navigation , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , April 1951 , pp. 135 - 148
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1951

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References

REFERENCES

1Harvey, G. N. (1948). A new system of compass correction, this Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 1948, p. 200.Google Scholar
2Maclure, K. C. (1946). Technical aspects of the Aries flights, Geog. Journ., Vol. CVII, Nos. 3 and 4, p. 112, September 1946.Google Scholar
3See excerpts from a report by Larsen, H. A., Navigation, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 88, Dec. 1946Google Scholar