What is Coercivity?

Coercivity is the resistance of the particles to having their position changed. As tape capacities increase, the bits get more tightly packed and the magnetic forces between them become more intense.

Capacities for tape increase as manufacturers develop new materials and compounds that allow tapes to have higher coercivity levels. This allows for better magnetic properties which means more storage capacity.

Degaussing

This increased coercivity that allows for greater storage capacity also means that it will take more degaussing strength to destroy this data when the tapes. If you are handling tape degaussing on your own, PLEASE make sure that your degausser meets or exceeds the coercivity level of the tape formats you are working with: