The use of magnetic measurements to investigate the mineralogy of Icelandic lake sediments and to study catchment processes

Abstract

Magnetic measurements made on sediment and catchment samples from two contrasting Icelandic lakes show how susceptibility and saturation isothermal remanent magnetisation alter as magnetic minerals pass from rock to soil to stream and into the lakes. There is no detectable growth of secondary magnetic minerals in Icelandic soil profiles and susceptibility peaks in the 62.5–1000 μm size range of mineral particles in the lake sediments. Changes in sediment source can be detected using combinations of magnetic measurements.