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Magnetic Conv ersion Factors

Magnetic Conversion Factors

To convert from SI units to cgs units for use in GM-SYS, use the conversion table below. For example, divide
magnetization reported in A/m by 10 for input into GM-SYS.
Conversion Factors
Quantity
Magnetic field (B)

cgs unit

SI Unit

Conversion

gauss (G)

tesla (T)

1 gauss=0.0001 T

gamma [1]

nanotesla (nT) [2]

1 gamma [1] = 1 nT [2]

Field intensity (H)

oersted (Oe)

A/m

1 oersted = 10 / 4

Magnetization (M)

gauss [3] (G)

A/m

1 gauss [3] = 10 A/m

Susceptibility ( or S)

dimensionless

dimensionless

1 (cgs) = 4

Koenigsberger ratio (Q)

dimensionless

dimensionless

1 (cgs) = 1 (SI)

"

[1] 1 gamma = 10-5 gauss

[2] 1 nanotesla = 10-9 tesla
[3] Also called emu/cm.

A/m

(SI)

modified from Blakely (1995)

Notes:
Although susceptibility is dimensionless, it differs by a factor of 4 between the two systems.
The defining equations above require Earth magnetic field values to be given in oersted (cgs) or A/m (SI).
However in the geophysical literature, Earth magnetic field values are commonly given in gammas (cgs) or
nanotesla (SI) which is what GM-SYS expects.

www-d0.f nal.gov /hardware/cal/lv ps_inf o/engineering/mag_conv .htm

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