Satellite observations of magnetic fields due to ocean tidal flow

Science. 2003 Jan 10;299(5604):239-41. doi: 10.1126/science.1078074.

Abstract

The ocean is an electrically conducting fluid that generates secondary magnetic fields as it flows through Earth's main magnetic field. Extracting ocean flow signals from remote observations has become possible with the current generation of satellites measuring Earth's magnetic field. Here, we consider the magnetic fields generated by the ocean lunar semidiurnal (M2) tide and demonstrate that magnetic fields of oceanic origin can be clearly identified in satellite observations.