Geophysics in the long-term perspective

Tromsø Geophysical Observatory - often shortened to TGO - is, with its staff of only five, the smallest institute of the Faculty. TGO's most important task is maintaining the long series of geophysical measurements that the University took over as a part of the Tromsø Auroral Observatory in 1972.

The long-term monitoring of the Earth's magnetic field is the most demanding of TGO's responsibilities. In Northern Norway, these observations date from 1912 when the Haldde Observatory, near Alta, began measurements; in Southern Norway, a tradition of continual geomagnetic observations started in 1841 by Christiania Observatory is now kept alive by TGO. Today, TGO operates 13 field stations ranged from Ny-Ålesund on Svalbard to Karmøy in Rogaland.

TGO also takes care of monitoring the highest region of the Earth's atmosphere - the ionosphere - with its short-wave radar at Ramfjordmoen just east of Tromsø. This measurement series began in 1932 and is, of its kind, one of the world's oldest.

Both the magnetometers and the short-wave radar - the ionosonde - are parts of global networks of similar instruments. Data are collected in international archives and are publicly available.

TGO also has responsibility for a substantial number of non-Norwegian instruments in the Tromsø area and at the University's Auroral Station in Adventdalen on Svalbard.




Today's geomagnetic field
and current iongram from Ramfjordmoen