
8
PROTON 4 MAGNETOMETER
INTRODUCTION
The PROTON 4 Magnetometer is a precision electronic instrument that measures the strength of the earth's
magnetic field. Once the magnetometer is set up in an area, it will inform the operator of the strength of the
earth's magnetic field in that area (in gammas). More importantly (for our application), if anything is brought
into that area that alters the earth's magnetic field, it will change the readout of the magnetometer. For an
object to alter the earth's magnetic field, it must be constructed of a ferromagnetic material (iron content). Any
material that a magnet is attracted to will alter the earth's magnetic field and therefore can be detected by a
magnetometer.
The earth's magnetic field varies in intensity over the surface of the earth (see world map in box).
Note: A world map showing the gamma readout in all areas of the world is also available on-line at
http://geomag.usgs.gov/charts Select the PDF "Total Intensity World" and use the zoom tool.
At the poles, the field is concentrated and therefore has a high intensity. A magnetometer would read in the
61,000 gamma area at the poles. At the equator, the field is quite weak. A magnetometer would read in the
24,000 gamma area at the equator. In any given area of the world, the field is fairly even. If an iron object is
introduced into the area, the lines of force are disturbed. The amount of disturbance is a function of the mass
of the object.
Over the past 35 years, almost every major wreck found was done so with a magnetometer. The metal-hulled
ships and barges are, of course, easy targets and can be detected from hundreds of feet away. The Spanish
galleons laden with gold and silver (metals not detectable by a magnetometer) were found by the
magnetometer detecting the ships' anchors or ballast stones (magnetite was often used as ballast). One of
the largest finds to date was a galleon off Florida, found 35 years ago, carrying four hundred million dollars
worth of gold and silver. The wreck was found with a proton magnetometer (detected the anchor).
EARTHS MAGNETIC
FIELD - NORMAL
EARTHS MAGNETIC
FIELD - IRON OBJECT