Larson Edward J
Humanities Division and School of Law, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California 90263, USA.
Isis. 2011 Mar;102(1):34-59. doi: 10.1086/658656.
It is well known to historians of science that, early in the nineteenth century, terrestrial magnetism became both a popular science and a significant research enterprise in Europe. For Britain, as a maritime power, it offered benefits for navigation. Theoretical physicists claimed that, with enough observations of magnetic variation, intensity, and dip taken throughout the world over time, they could deduce regular mathematical laws to explain the phenomena. Because of the lack of data from the region, particular attention focused on field research in deep southern latitudes. Finding the precise location of the South Magnetic Pole became a prime goal for some enthusiasts. With burgeoning colonies in Africa and the Antipodes, Britain assumed a leading role in this effort. British scientists looked to their government for funding and called on the Admiralty to dispatch expeditions. It is less well known that both popular and scientific interest in terrestrial magnetism continued throughout the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. The H.M.S. Erebus and H.M.S. Terror (1839-1843), H.M.S. Challenger (1872-1876), and R.Y. Discovery (1901-1904) sailed to the Antarctic as part of Britain's extended "Magnetic Crusade," which culminated with Royal Society geologist T. W. Edgeworth David of the Nimrod expedition reaching the South Magnetic Pole in 1909.
科学史学家都清楚地知道，在19世纪早期，地磁学在欧洲既成为了一门大众科学，也成为了一项重要的研究事业。对于作为海上强国的英国来说，它对航海有益。理论物理学家声称，随着时间的推移，在全球范围内对磁偏角、强度和倾角进行足够多的观测，他们就能推导出解释这些现象的常规数学定律。由于该地区缺乏数据，特别关注的焦点集中在南纬高纬度地区的实地研究上。确定南磁极的精确位置成为了一些狂热者的首要目标。随着在非洲和澳大拉西亚殖民地的蓬勃发展，英国在这项工作中发挥了主导作用。英国科学家向政府寻求资金，并呼吁海军部派遣探险队。鲜为人知的是，对地磁学的大众兴趣和科学兴趣在整个19世纪一直持续到20世纪初。皇家海军舰艇“幽冥号”和“惊恐号”（1839 - 1843年）、皇家海军舰艇“挑战者号”（1872 - 1876年）以及皇家游艇“发现号”（1901 - 1904年）作为英国扩展的“磁学远征”的一部分驶向南极，这次远征以1909年“尼姆罗德号”探险队的皇家学会地质学家T. W. 埃奇沃思·大卫抵达南磁极而告终。
