Abstract
Earth's magnetic declination was experimentally measured at 15 sites in western USA from Alaska to Texas; each site exhibited a large linear feature identifiable in virtual globe imagery (NASA's World Wind or Google Earth). The difference between the geographic bearing of the linear feature measured directly on a virtual globe image and the magnetic bearing of the same linear feature measured on the ground with a compass defines the magnetic declination δ for that site. For all 15 sites, δ values, determined by this differencing procedure, ranged from about 20° to 5° E and fell within 1° (over half within 0.5°) of expected values. Global positioning system (GPS) data recorded at most sites and plotted on virtual globe images aided in the identification of relevant features. This straightforward method for determining magnetic declination using virtual globe software and a compass provides a contemporary geospatial field/laboratory activity that dramatically elucidates and contrasts features of magnetic and geographic coordinate systems for students in various disciplines involving geomagnetism, navigation, geography or spherical polar geometry.
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