Magnetically stable particulate magnetic recording medium having high signal-to noise ratio and method of assessing magnetic stability thereof

A method of assessing signal-to-noise ratio and magnetic stability of a magnetizable layer on a magnetic recording medium wherein the information storing layer includes a plurality of magnetic pigment particles, comprising:

• (a) obtaining a sample of the magnetic recording medium,
• (b) recording a first magnetic hysteresis loop for the sample using a first maximum magnetic field so as to obtain a first coercivity value measured at a first field sweep rate for the magnetizable layer on the magnetic recording medium, wherein the first maximum magnetic field is sufficient to switch essentially all of the magnetic moment,
• (c) recording a second magnetic hysteresis loop for the sample using a second maximum magnetic field so as to obtain a second coercivity value measured at a second field sweep rate for the magnetizable layer on the magnetic recording medium, wherein (i) the second maximum magnetic field is sufficient to switch essentially all of the magnetic moment, and (ii) the first sweep rate is at least 1,000 times greater than the second sweep rate, and
• (d) calculating a coercivity ratio for the magnetizable layer on the magnetic recording medium by dividing the first coercivity value by the second coercivity value.