Evolution of the North-Alignment Model for Archaeological Interpretation of Marine Magnetic Data

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Needle, Meet Haystack: The Role of Magnetometers in Underwater Archaeological Research and the Evolution of Interpreting Magnetic Data for Cultural Resource Investigations", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

This paper traces the arc of the author’s experience from 1985 to the present, interpreting marine magnetometer surveys in search of shipwrecks. During that period, technological advancements in positioning systems, computers, and software improved the accuracy of close-order, in-site magnetic surveys over shipwreck sites. Close-order surveys led to a refined understanding of shipwreck anomalies and an updated model for archaeological interpretation of marine magnetic data. The North-Alignment Model, developed by the author, focuses on the polar alignment of wreck dipoles with magnetic north. Two research questions are suggested that might lead to further improvement of this model. First, what are appropriate minimum dimensions of potential wreck anomalies? The search continues for the smallest verified wreck anomalies. Second, how does a lower sensor height affect the appearance of wreck anomalies?

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Needle, Meet Haystack: The Role of Magnetometers in Underwater Archaeological Research and the Evolution of Interpreting Magnetic Data for Cultural Resource Investigations

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow