Stokes Magnetic Anomaly

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The Stokes Magnetic Anomaly (also known as the Stokes Magnetic Anomaly System, SMAS, New Zealand Junction Magnetic Anomaly, JMA, great Nelson magnetic disturbance, Junction Anomaly, Campbell Magnetic Anomaly System, CMAS)[1] is a magnetic anomaly on the Earth's surface that extends from New Caledonia to the Chatham Rise with complexity consistent with the theory of plate tectonics.[2][3]

Stokes Magnetic Anomaly
White outline of Zealandia with Stokes Magnetic Anomaly shown as "Z" shape of red (field deviation more than 100nT) and blue (field deviation less than -100nT) magnetic anomaly. The "Z" commences on the Lord Howe Rise and intersects present New Zealand land mass in the Northland Peninsula and bends to extend down the west coast of the country as a 1000km discontinuity until in Fiordland it bends to the east and exits New Zealand's east coast in South Otago. It is defined as far as the Campbell Plateau. Outside the confines of Zealandia on the oceanic plates, the effects of sea flow spreading are seen to the south in terms of parallel magnetic anomaly.

It is named after Captain (later Admiral) John Lort Stokes by G. C. Farr in 1916[4] as he described it first although such naming has proved controversial, hence many of the alternative names.[1][5][6] The magnetic declinations were observed by Captain Stokes when captaining HMS Acheron and Commander (later Admiral) Byron Drury in HMS Pandora between 1851 and 1853.[1]

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