NITED STATES ARTMENT OF MMERCE NBS TECHNICAL NOTE 735 BLICATION of Magnetic Fields on Magnetic Storage Media Used in Computers — NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS The National Bureau of Standards^ was established by an act of Congress March 3, 1901. The Bureau's overall goal is to strengthen and advance the Nation's science and technology and facilitate their effective application for public benefit. To this end, the Bureau conducts research and provides: (1) a basis for the Nation's physical measure- ment system, (2) scientific and technological services for industry and government, (3) a technical basis for equity in trade, and (4) technical services to promote public safety. The Bureau consists of the Institute for Basic Standards, the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute for Applied Technology, the Center for Computer Sciences and Technology, and the Office for Information Programs. 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THE CENTER FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY conducts re- search and provides technical services designed to aid Government agencies in improv- ing cost effectiveness in the conduct of their programs through the selection, acquisition, and effective utilization of automatic data processing equipment; and serves as the prin- cipal focus within the executive branch for the development of Federal standards for automatic data processing equipment, techniques, and computer languages. The Center consists of the following offices and divisions: Information Processing Standards—Computer Information—Computer Services —Systems Development—Information Processing Technology. THE OFFICE FOR INFORMATION PROGRAMS promotes optimum dissemination and accessibility of scientific information generated within NBS and other agencies of the Federal Government; promotes the development of the National Standard Reference Data System and a system of information analysis centers dealing with the broader aspects of the National Measurement System; provides appropriate services to ensure that the NBS staff has optimum accessibility to the scientific information of the world, and directs the public information activities of the Bureau. The Office consists of the following organizational units: Office of Standard Reference Data—Office of Technical Information and Publications—Library—Office of International Relations. 1 Headquarters and Laboratories at Gaithersburg, Maryland, unless otherwise noted; mailing address Washing- ton, D.C. 20234. 2 Part of the Center for Radiation Research. ' Located at Boulder, Colorado 80302. r The Effects of Magnetic Fields on Magnetic Storage Media Used in Computers Sidney B. Geller Information Processing Technology Division Center for Computer Sciences and Technology National Bureau of Standards Washington, D.C. 20234 -t, 7cchr\Vai rvo^e lie. 93 .^< "/<>>. \ / "fBM O* U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Peter G. Peterson, SBcre^ory Kushner, S NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, Lawrence M. Acf/ng Director, Issued July 1972 National Bureau of Standards Technical Note 735 Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Tech. Note 735, 35 pages (July 1972) CODEN: NBTNAE For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C13.46:735). Price 40 cents. I Contents Page 1. Introduction 1 2. General Guidelines for Protection Against Damage to Magnetic Recording Media .,.,.. 2 3. Effects of Magnetic Fields on Recorded Media 3 3.1 Answers to Specific Questions of Interest to Computer Installation Managers 3 4. Description of Experiments. ,« «.. 12 4.1 Experimental Procedures 12 4.2 Small Bar Magnet Experiments 15 4.3 Large Magnet Experiments and Tests 16 5. Additional Test Results and Comments 25 6. References 29 List of Figures 1. Variations in Pulling Force for Magnets of Different Weights 7 2. Effect of a Single Bar Magnet on a Recorded Computer Tape 13 3. Effect of 2 Bar Magnets on a Recorded Computer Tape ... 14 4. Magnetic Field Produced by the Large Test Magnet 17 5. Effect of a Large Magnet in Contact with the Recorded Tape Reel (Test 1 Chart) 18 6. Measured and Calculated Percentage Decreases in Recorded Signal Levels 19 » 7. Effect of a Large Magnet 25.4 mm (1 in) from Recorded Tape Reel (Test 2 Chart) 20 8. Effect of Mu-metal Shield (Test 3 Chart) 21 9. Effect of a Large Magnet in Contact with Plastic Tape Case (Test 5 Chart) 22 10. Effect of a Large Magnet in Contact with the Recorded Tape Reel (Test 6 Chart: 200 frpi) 24 11. Effects of Temperature and Humidity on Magnetic Tapes . 27 iii . FOREWORD I The NBS Cen ter f or Compu ter Scie nces and Technology undertaJTes rese arch an d adv isory se rvices a imed at improving the effi ciency of da ta proce ssing op erat ions in industry and Gove rnment In recent y ears the re has b een concern for the prot ection again st unwar ranted e rasure o f important computer reco rds tha t are maintai ned and stored o n magnetic media, This study- has b een init iated by Dr. Rut h M. Davis in response to t he ques tions that we re raise d by the Office of Management and Budget in Se ction 3. The re port inv estigates the effects on r ecorded medi a of mag netic fi elds tha t are produced by sour ces sue h as permanen t magnet s . Guid elines for protecting magn etic ta pe , d isk and drum fil es by in stallation managers are suggest ed by Dr . Dav is in Se ction 2 This study was supported by the National Bureau of Standards Magnetic Media Program*. Through Research and Technical Service Project 65OIIII XV The Effects of Magnetic Fields on Magnetic Storage Media Used in Computers Sidney B. Geller Experiments have been performed with different types of magnets to determine their effects on the information stored on magnetic storage media. The test results that were obtained with recorded computer tapes are discussed and guidelines are suggested to computer installation managers for protecting their recorded tapes ^ disks and drums against unwarranted erasure by magnetic fields. The effects of other forms of energy on recorded magnetic media are briefly considered. Key words: erasure, magnetic media; erasure, permanent magnet; erasure, shielding against; erasure, signal loss due to; magnet fields, erasure with; magnetic media, computer; magnetic media, information damage; permanent magnets; permanent magnet, erasure with; shielding, 1. INTRODUCTION Magnetic storage media have become indispensible to data pro- cessing operations in industry and in government. Magnetic tapes, disks and drums are used to store voluminous quantities of data on both a temporary and an archival basis. Unfortunately, data in magnetic form can be altered or destroyed by devices that are able to exert magnetic forces on the surfaces of these media. Such destructive action can be either intentional or unintentional. The most effective and insidious of the destructive devices is the simple permanent magnet which can produce powerful erasing fields and is easily obtained, carried and concealed. In addition, it requires no external power sources for producing or maintaining its fields. This first report deals primarily with the effects of permanent magnets on the recorded information on magnetic computer tapes. The results of this study are directly applicable to the other magnetic surface devices such as disks and drums. The study also discusses both the capabilities and limitations of the permanent magnet and the electromagnet as destructive devices.