Virtual Observatory for SPIDR metadata

Abstract:

The earliest vector magnetic observation at Alice Springs was probably made by the Carnegie Institution of Washington (CIW) in 1912 when the declination, inclination and horizontal intensity were measured at a location in the vicinity of the Alice Springs telegraph station just north of the town of Alice Springs. The location of that observing site has since been designated as magnetic station A. The declination was also measured at a nearby secondary station, later named A1. The exact location of A1 was not occupied again, but a close reoccupation was made in 1937 at a station referred to as A2. The next occupation occurred in 1945 when an exact reoccupation of station A2 from 1937 was made and a new station, B, was established. By the time of the next occupation, in 1954, the old telegraph station had been converted to a 'native mission site' and the buildings used in the original station descriptions were no longer identifiable. The azimuth marks described from the 1945 occupation could not be located, although the 1945 station marker (a peg) was located, but it had been torn out of the ground during road making operations. The general area of the stations had become magnetically contaminated by a barbed wire fence so the decision was taken to establish a new station at an alternate location. Two sites for a magnetic station were chosen, one at the airfield and one at the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) transmission site. At the time, the station at the airfield was considered the better of the two, but fears of future magnetic contamination of the station were held. The station at the airfield was called C and that at the DCA transmitter site called station D. Both stations were marked with a concrete peg set one inch above ground level. Stations C and D were reoccupied in 1961, 1962, 1966 and 1969. In 1969 a new station was established at the airfield and designated station E. Station E was reoccupied in 1973, 1976, 1978 and 1983 (together with observations on station C). A secondary station was established close to station E in April 1983 by surveyors from the Australian Survey Office. The secondary station was designated as station F. Stations C, E and F were occupied in 1986 and 1992. Stations E and F were occupied in 2001, 2004 and again in 2005. Planning for the construction of the Alice Springs observatory was underway by 1984. After negotiations with the CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Range Lands Research, it was agreed that a magnetic observatory comprising two small underground vaults, a small building for control equipment, an observation pier with shelter and two azimuth pillars, could be constructed on the compound at their Central Australian Laboratory just south of the town of Alice Springs. The observatory was constructed in two stages. The first stage, comprising two small vaults and an absolute shelter, was completed in April 1988. The second stage, comprising the recording house and two azimuth reference pillars, was completed in June 1989. Electrical fixtures included in the recording house were an airconditioner, 2 x 40 watt fluorescent lights, two pairs of standard electrical outlets on each internal wall and provision for two telephone lines. The two azimuth piers were enclosed in cattle-proof fences. The position of the absolute pier and the azimuths from the absolute pier to the two reference pillars was surveyed in March 1990. The variometer and recording equipment were installed at the observatory in May 1992 and continuous recording of the magnetic field commenced on 01 June 1992.

Virtual Observatory for SPIDR metadata

Alice Springs Magnetic Observatory

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