MAGNETOSPHERE
Live Data
U.S. Observatories
A complete list of real-time data links is located in the Space Weather Resources section.
From Observatories: U.S. Observatories
The U.S. Geological Survey operates a system of stations that measure Earth’s magnetic field. Several of these stations are further south than the stations in Sweden , Canada , Norway , Russia and Alaska . These more southern observatories can be useful to check your own magnetometer readings if you are located between the 20 degrees and 50 degrees latitude. (see the map on the Kp tutorial page to find your approximate latitude.)
When you go to the National Geomagnetism Program, you will see a map of the observatories.
Click on the red button of the location you wish to monitor. For example, FRD stands for the observatory in Fredericksburg , Virginia. When you click the red button for FRD, you will see the following page.
Click one of the brown buttons to connect you to plots of the magnetic field. The ‘Today’ button gives you the most recent data available. The other buttons give you complete plots for previous days. The data for June 26, 2004 is provided below.
The H plot shows the horizontal strength of the magnetic field. The D plot tells you the declination – or how much the direction of the horizontal field has shifted from its normal direction. The Z plot shows the vertical strength. And the F plot shows the strength of the entire field. Changes in these values indicate disturbances in the magnetic field. Large changes means large disturbances.
- NASA Official: Dr. James Thieman
- Project Manager: Don Robinson-Boonstra
- Website Manager: Bryan Stephenson