Earth Planets Space, 58, 741–750, 2006 Geomagnetic survey and geomagnetic model research in China

The geomagnetic survey at 135 stations in China were carried out in 2003. These stations are with better environmental condition and small magnetic field gradient (<5 nT/m). In the field survey, the geomagnetic declination D, the inclination I and the total intensity F were measured. Ashtech ProMark2 differential GPS (Global Positioning System) was used in measuring the azimuth, the longitude, the latitude and the elevation at these stations. The accuracy of the azimuth is 0.1′. The geomagnetic survey data were reduced using the data at geomagnetic observatories in China. The mean standard deviations of the geomagnetic reduced values are: <1.5 nT for F, <0.5 ′ for D and I. Using the geomagnetic data which include the data at 135 stations and 35 observatories in China, and the data at 38 IGRF (International Geomagnetic Reference Field) calculation points in China’s adjacent regions, the Taylor polynomial model and the spherical cap harmonic model were calculated for the geomagnetic field in China. The truncation order of the Taylor polynomial model is 5, and its original point is at 36.0◦N and 104.5◦E. Based on the geomagnetic anomalous values and using the method of spherical cap harmonic (SCH) analysis, the SCH model of the geomagnetic anomalous field was derived. In the SCH model, the pole of the spherical cap is at 36.0◦N and 104.5◦E, and the half-angle is 30◦, the truncation order K = 8 is determined according to the mean square deviation between the model calculation value and the observation value, the AIC (Akaike Information Criterion) and the distribution of geomagnetic field