About
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Program is to monitor the Earth's magnetic field.
GHSC Student Internships
Every year, the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center (GHSC) employs undergraduate and graduate students from all over the country and from a variety of colleges. Internships are in-person in Golden, CO or Alburquerque, NM.
What We Do - Geomagnetism Program
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Program is to monitor the Earth's magnetic field. Using ground-based observatories, the Program provides continuous records of magnetic field variations covering long timescales; disseminates magnetic data to various governmental, academic, and private institutions; and conducts research into the nature of geomagnetic variations.
Monitoring the Earth's Dynamic Magnetic Field
For centuries, the compass has been used for orientation and navigation, with the north-seeking tendency of its magnetized needle responding to Earth's magnetic field. Magnetic maps and charts need to be updated every few years, an on-going project that requires the collection of magnetic data as the field is complicated in shape and changes over time.
The Program Today & the Future
In response to the rapidly evolving science of geomagnetism and the ever more stringent demands of the scientific community, Program staff are constantly upgrading and modernizing the observatory network. Geomagnetism is headquartered with the USGS Geologic Hazards Team in Golden, Colorado, which also includes staff supported by the Earthquake Hazards and Landslide Hazards Programs.