Vector magnetic survey technique is one of the most effective methods
for engineering and environmental geophysical exploration. Compared
with the traditional geophysical magnetic survey methods, i.e., measurement
of the total magnetic field intensity or its gradient, vector magnetic
survey can simultaneously obtain the modulus and direction information
of the earth magnetic field, which can effectively reduce the multiplicity
on data inversion, contribute to the quantitative interpretation of
the magnetic body and obtain more precise information and characteristics
of magnetic field resource, so as to improve the detection resolution
and positioning accuracy of the underground target body. In this paper,
based on different application fields, we summarize the application
situation, the technical feature and the instrument development of
ground vector magnetic survey technique, wells vector magnetic survey
technique, marine vector magnetic survey technique, airborne vector
magnetic survey technique and satellites vector magnetic survey technique,
respectively. As the basic method of the vector magnetic survey technique,
ground vector magnetic survey development is the earliest and the
technique is the most mature. The accuracy of the instrument system
for ground vector magnetic survey is high and the working performance
is reliable. But there are also some problems, e.g., the detection
depth is shallow and working efficiency is low. Wells vector magnetic
survey is one useful tool for the earth’s deep mineral resources
exploration. It can finish the detection work that the ground vector
magnetic measurement can’t do. But due to the limit of the
bore diameter and the high temperature in well, the detection accuracy
of the instrument system is lower than the ground magnetic instrument.
Marine vector magnetic survey has the irreplaceable effect in the
application of military or other ocean engineering. Its working mode
changes from the method of ship drag-and-drop to small unmanned underwater
vehicle, which can measure more precise underwater magnetic anomaly.
Airborne vector magnetic survey has the superiority of fast detection,
high efficiency and strong practicality to geophysical environment,
etc. But because of magnetic interference and the posture change of
the aircraft carrier, detection accuracy reduces. The study of magnetic
compensation and data processing methods of aero three-component and
full-tensor magnetic gradient is also needed. Satellites vector magnetic
survey can obtain high-quality and whole global magnetic field data.
Compared with the research abroad, the development of satellites vector
magnetic survey in China is later and the technique is relatively
backward although lots of exploration work has been done in recent
years. We should take full advantage of the opportunity of China aerospace
business development to actively carry out research work for the satellites
vector magnetic survey. In conclusion, each magnetic survey method
has its unique superiority and defect. Any single method has difficulty
meeting the requirement of modern geophysical detection application.
With the development of magnetic survey technique and instrument system,
the future magnetic survey will change from the traditional work mode, i . e ., measuring the total magnetic field
intensity or its gradient to the vector information of magnetic field,
then to multi-parameter measurements. The magnetic survey application
field will change from the traditional ground magnetic survey method
with low efficiency and shallow detection depth to high efficient
airborne magnetic survey, deep well magnetic survey and abysmal sea
magnetic survey, then gradually to the joint detection and interpretation
combining with the five kinds of magnetic survey methods mentioned
above. Through the combination of a variety of detection methods to
realize advantageous complementarities, further improvement of detection
accuracy and inversion resolution for earth magnetic field will be
implemented.