Magnetization contrast ($\Delta \mathbf{M}$)

The difference $\Delta \mathbf{M}={\mathbf{M}}_{\mathrm{target}}-{\mathbf{M}}_{\mathrm{reference}}$ between a target region and the reference material it replaces. A weakly magnetic crater infill inside magnetic basalt can have a negative induced contrast, even though both materials have positive magnetic susceptibility. The sign and direction of this contrast, including remanent magnetization, determine a total-field magnetic anomaly together with geometry and the ambient field. Geophysical density contrast does not determine magnetic contrast.