Rationale and preliminary operational plan for a high-altitude magnetic survey over the United States

A proposed high-altitude survey of the U.S. with an ER-2 to collect radar data offers an exciting and cost-effective opportunity to collect magnetic anomaly data. At this workshop, a group of magnetic specialists addressed this opportunity by discussing the need for high-altitude magnetic data and by formulating a preliminary operational plan to acquire such data. The high-altitude aeromagnetic survey would provide critical data needed to expand our knowledge of the geomagnetic field, with applications to a variety of earth science issues including geology, tectonics, core-processes, and rock-magnetism. Test flights with a cesium magnetometer indicate that the ER-2 has the potential to measure the magnetic field at an accuracy of 2 nT or better along flight lines. If the national ER-2 survey is carried out, the successful collection of high-altitude magnetic data hinges on establishing a consortium of federal and state agencies, private industry, and academic institutions to provide the identified resources.