A magnetic recording medium is provided and includes a layer structure including a magnetic layer, a non-magnetic layer, and a base layer in order, in which an average thickness t.sub.T of the magnetic recording medium is 4.0 μm≤t.sub.T≤5.3 μm, a dimensional variation Δw in a width direction of the magnetic recording medium to tension change in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic recording medium is 680 ppm/N≤Δw≤2000 ppm/N , and an average thickness t.sub.n of the non-magnetic layer is t.sub.n≤1.0 μm.

The magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic powder and a binding agent on the non-magnetic support, in which the magnetic layer has a servo pattern, and an absolute value ΔN of a difference between a refractive index Nxy measured regarding an in-plane direction of the magnetic layer and a refractive index Nz measured regarding a thickness direction of the magnetic layer is 0.25 to 0.40, a magnetic tape cartridge and a magnetic tape apparatus including this magnetic tape.

The magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer, in which the magnetic layer has a timing-based servo pattern, an edge shape of the timing-based servo pattern, specified by magnetic force microscopy is a shape in which a difference L.sub.99.9−L.sub.0.1 between a value L.sub.99.9 of a cumulative distribution function of 99.9% and a value L.sub.0.1 of a cumulative distribution function of 0.1% in a position deviation width from an ideal shape of the magnetic tape in a longitudinal direction is 180 nm or less, and an absolute value ΔN of a difference between a refractive index Nxy of the magnetic layer, measured in an in-plane direction and a refractive index Nz of the magnetic layer, measured in a thickness direction is 0.25 or more and 0.40 or less.

Provided is a hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder for a magnetic recording medium, containing hexagonal ferrite magnetic particles having aluminum hydroxide adhered on the surface thereof, the hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder having an Al/Fe molar ratio of 0.030 to 0.200, a Co/Fe molar ratio of 0.002 to 0.030, and a Nb/Fe molar ratio of 0.005 to 0.050, and having an Fe site valence A.sub.Fe of 3.015 to 3.040 as calculated by A.sub.Fe=(3+2×[Co/Fe]+5×[Nb/Fe])/(1+[Co/Fe]+[Nb/Fe]) wherein [Co/Fe] represents the Co/Fe molar ratio and [Nb/Fe] represents the Nb/Fe molar ratio, and preferably having an activation volume Vact of 1400 to 1800 nm.sup.3. This magnetic powder simultaneously achieves an increase in magnetic characteristics including SNR of a magnetic recording medium and a further increase in durability thereof.

The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder, in which an isoelectric point of a surface zeta potential of the magnetic layer after pressing the magnetic layer at a pressure of 70 atm is equal to or greater than 5.5.

The magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support and a magnetic layer, in which an edge shape of the timing-based servo pattern, specified by magnetic force microscopy is a shape in which a difference between a value L.sub.99.9 of a cumulative distribution function of 99.9% and a value L.sub.0.1 of a cumulative distribution function of 0.1% in a position deviation width from an ideal shape of the magnetic tape in a longitudinal direction is 180 nm or less, and in which a difference between a spacing S.sub.after measured on a surface of the magnetic layer by an optical interferometry after ethanol cleaning and a spacing S.sub.before measured on the surface of the magnetic layer by an optical interferometry before ethanol cleaning is greater than 0 nm and 6.0 nm or less.

The magnetic recording medium includes: a non-magnetic support; and a non-magnetic layer including a non-magnetic powder and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder on the non-magnetic support in this order, in which a vertical squareness ratio is 0.70 to 1.00, a center line average roughness Ra measured regarding a surface of the magnetic layer with an atomic force microscope is equal to or smaller than 2.5 nm, and an interface variation rate between the magnetic layer and the non-magnetic layer in a cross section image obtained by imaging with a scanning electron microscope is equal to or less than 2.5%.

In the magnetic recording medium, a number distribution A of a plurality of bright regions, based on equivalent circle diameters thereof, in a binarized image of a secondary electron image obtained by imaging a surface of the magnetic layer by a scanning electron microscope at an acceleration voltage of 5 kV and a number distribution B of a plurality of dark regions, based on equivalent circle diameters thereof, in a binarized image of a secondary electron image obtained by imaging a surface of the magnetic layer by a scanning electron microscope at an acceleration voltage of 2 kV respectively satisfy a predetermined number distribution.

The magnetic tape includes a non-magnetic support, and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder. A rate of change (AlFeSil abrasion value 2/AlFeSil abrasion value 1) in AlFeSil abrasion value measured on a surface of the magnetic layer before and after storage of the magnetic tape in an environment of a temperature of 23° C. and a relative humidity of 50% is 0.7 or more.

The magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic support; and a magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic powder, in which an isoelectric point of a surface zeta potential of the magnetic layer after pressing the magnetic layer at a pressure of 70 atm is equal to or less than 3.8.