The IDQ curve: A tool for evaluating the direction of remanent magnetization from magnetic anomalies

Abstract

Natural remanent magnetization acts as a record of the previous orientations of the earth’s magnetic field, and it is an important feature when studying geologic phenomena. The so-called IDQ curve is used to describe the relationship between the inclination ( I) and declination ( D) of remanent magnetization and the Köenigsberger ratio ( Q). Here, we construct the IDQ curve using data on ground and airborne magnetic anomalies. The curve is devised using modified approaches for estimating the total magnetization direction, e.g., identifying the maximal position of minimal reduced-to-the-pole fields or identifying correlations between total and vertical reduced-to-the-pole field gradients. The method is tested using synthetic data, and the results indicate that the IDQ curve can provide valuable information on the remanent magnetization direction based on available data on the Köenigsberger ratio. Then, the method is used to interpret field data from the Yeshan region in eastern China, where ground anomalies have been produced by igneous rocks, including diorite and basalt, which occur along with magnetite and hematite ore bodies. The IDQ curves for 24 subanomalies are constructed, and these curves indicate two main distribution clusters of remanent magnetization directions corresponding to different structural units of magma intrusion and help identify the lithologies of the magnetic sources in areas covered by Quaternary sediments. The estimated remanent magnetization directions for Cenozoic basalt are consistent with measurements made in paleomagnetism studies. The synthetic and field data indicate that the IDQ curve can be used to efficiently estimate the remanent magnetization direction from a magnetic anomaly, which could help with our understanding of geologic processes in an area.