Degauss
From The Glossary of Digital Photography
The process of removing or reducing a magnetic field. In digital photography, degaussing is found especially in operating magnetic storage media. Data or images are erased by using the degaussing process to randomize the magnetic fields used to store information on a hard drive or other magnetic storage device. Degaussing is also used to remove the effects of a magnetic field on a CRT monitor display. CRT displays will pick up discolorations on the screen over time. Many CRT displays will automatically degauss when they are first turned on. When this occurs, they will pop and the screen display will jiggle for a moment as the CRT is switched on. See also CRT
