Abstract
Abstract. Magnetic dating includes all approaches dealing with the temporal variation of the Earth’s magnetic field (EMF) as well as with the application of climate dependent variations of rock magnetic properties of sedimentary sequences and their correlation to independently dated palaeoclimatic archives. Palaeomagnetism has an outstanding impact on geosciences in general and especially on Quaternary chronology and palaeoclimate research. Palaeomagnetic dating employs the temporal variation of the direction as well as the intensity of the EMF on time scales from 102 to 107 years. The well-known temporal pattern of reversals of the EMF on time scales from 104 to 107 years and the shorter secular variation (amplitude 10-30°, time scale 1 to 103 years) provide an excellent tool for stratigraphic subdivisions. Records of the intensity variations of the EMF as well as the indirect dating by means of correlating rock magnetic property variations from sedimentary archives to dated palaeoclimatic records also serve as dating tools. Field methods as well as laboratory methods and techniques in data analysis will not be discussed in this paper. It is our aim to give a short and subjective overview on palaeomagnetism and magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy as dating tools in Quaternary science.
Highlights
IntroductionPalaeomagnetism, as a generic term for several sub-disciplines in geomagnetism (e.g., magnetostratigraphy, apparent polar wander, archaeomagnetism), is an essential part of geosciences
Palaeomagnetism, as a generic term for several sub-disciplines in geomagnetism, is an essential part of geosciences
We pointed out the potential of the largely underdeveloped application of magnetic dating techniques in the Quaternary
Summary
Palaeomagnetism, as a generic term for several sub-disciplines in geomagnetism (e.g., magnetostratigraphy, apparent polar wander, archaeomagnetism), is an essential part of geosciences. Rock magnetism (environmental magnetism) became famous in Quaternary research after its successful application as magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy for indirect dating of Asian loess deposits and their correlation to the global ice volume record. The success and achievements of palaeo- and rock magnetism in earth sciences are amongst others, proven by the plenitude of monographs on these topics. Field methods as well as laboratory methods and techniques in data analysis will not be discussed here. For these topics we refer to textbooks (e.g., COLLINSON 1983; BUTLER 1992). The aim of this paper is to give a short overview on palaeomagnetism and magnetic susceptibility stratigraphy as dating tools in Quaternary science and to draw the reader’s attention to the possibilities and problems of the methods
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