New geomagnetic field observations in the South Atlantic Anomaly region

Abstract

Three new geomagnetic observatories have been established recently around the South Atlantic geomagnetic
Anomaly by GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam(GFZ), Germany, in collaboration with other institutions. In Bolivia,
the collaboration is with Universidad Mayor de San Andres, LaPaz, while Hermanus Magnetic Observatory
(HMO) in South Africa has assisted with a new observatory in Namibia. The third observatory was set up
on the island of St. Helena with logistical support from the IDA seismological network, University of California
at San Diego, USA. All these observatories are operated remotely with a minimum amount of building infrastructure
and without permanent staff. People living nearby have been trained to carry out the required absolute
measurements for a few hours per week. In this paper we report on our experiences, challenges and solutions
in setting up nearly automated observatories in remote locations in order to obtain high quality geomagnetic
data. These new data, complemented by annual repeat station surveys in southern Africa, will provide valuable
geomagnetic field information on the South Atlantic Anomaly changes in this area of extremely rapid decrease
of field intensity.