BILCAL/IGRF 1945-2000


Author: D. Bilitza
NASA/GSFC, Code 672, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
and George Mason University
(301) 286-0190
bilitza@gmu.edu

Parameter: Earth's main magnetic field (magnitude, vector components, declination, inclination); L-value; field strength at magnetic equator

Brief Description:
This software package contains the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF, Revision 1995) from 1945 to 1995/2000, the field calculation subroutine FELDG, and the L-shell calculation subroutine SHELLG. The IGRF models represent the Earth's main field without external sources. They use a spherical harmonics expansion of the scalar potential in geocentric coordinates.

The NSSDC program BILCAL produces tables of geomagnetic field strength and vector, declination, inclination, dipole moment, L-value, and field strength at the magnetic equator. As a variable, one can choose latitude, longitude (geodetic), altitude, or year (1945-1990).

The subroutines FELDG and SHELLG were developed by Kluge (1972) at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC). His field (FELDG) and L calculation (SHELLG) uses inverse Cartesian coordinates. This method simplifies the B and L computation and reduces the required computer time by a factor of 10 in comparison with earlier calculation schemes. Kluge's SHELLG was corrected so that it now takes account of the secular changes in magnetic dipole moment.

Availability: Retrievable from CCMC's anonymous FTP site; (3) can be run via the WWW.

References:
G. Kluge, Direct Computation of the Magnetic Shell Parameter, Comp. Phys. Comm., 3, 31-35, 1972.


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