magnetic deviation

English

Noun

magnetic deviation (countable and uncountable, plural magnetic deviations)

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see magnetic,‎ deviation.
    • 1904, Ernest Rutherford, Radio-activity, Dover, published 2004, page 117:
      Preliminary experiments with radium of activity 1000 showed that it was very difficult to determine the magnetic deviation of the α rays.
  2. The difference in angle between magnetic north and the north shown by a compass at any given location and time, caused by interference from local magnetic fields.
  3. Magnetic declination.
    • 1998, John R. Ellis, Objectifying Real-Time Systems, page 483:
      This angular difference is the local magnetic deviation (Figure C.2). Navigation systems normally work relative to True North and therefore must remove the local magnetic deviation.
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