Paleointensity Estimates Research Articles

Comparison of Thermal and Microwave Paleointensity Estimates in Specimens Displaying Non‐Ideal Behavior in Thellier‐Style Paleointensity Experiments

AbstractDetermining the strength of the ancient geomagnetic field is vital to our understanding of the core and geodynamo, but obtaining reliable measurements of the paleointensity is fraught with difficulties. Over a quarter of magnetic field strength estimates within the global paleointensity database from 0 to 5 Ma come from Hawaii. Two previous studies on the SOH1 drill core gave inconsistent, apparently method‐dependent paleointensity estimates, with an average difference of 30%. The paleointensity methods employed in the two studies differed both in demagnetization mechanism (thermal or microwave radiation) and Thellier‐style protocol (perpendicular and original Thellier protocols)—both variables that could cause the strong differences in the estimates obtained. Paleointensity experiments have therefore been conducted on 79 specimens using the previously untested combinations of thermal‐perpendicular and microwave‐original Thellier methods to analyze the effects of demagnetization mechanism and protocol in isolation. We find that, individually, neither demagnetization mechanism nor protocol entirely explains the differences in paleointensity estimates. Specifically, we found that non‐ideal multidomain‐like effects are enhanced using the original Thellier protocol (independent of demagnetization mechanism), often resulting in paleointensity overestimation. However, we also find evidence, supporting recent findings from the 1960 Kilauea lava flow, that microwave‐perpendicular experiments performed without partial thermal remanent magnetization checks can produce underestimates of the paleointensity due to unaccounted‐for sample alteration at higher microwave powers. Together, these findings support that the true paleointensities fall between the estimates previously published and emphasize the need for future studies (thermal or microwave) to use protocols with both partial thermal remanent magnetization checks and a means of detecting non‐ideal grain effects.

Behavior of Greigite‐Bearing Marine Sediments During AF and Thermal Demagnetization and Its Significance

AbstractGyro‐remanent magnetization (GRM) is a frequently occurring yet unwanted remanence contamination for certain samples during alternating field (AF) demagnetization of the natural remanent magnetization. The origin and detailed properties of GRM have not yet been fully understood. In this study, systematic rock magnetic analyses were conducted on marine greigite‐bearing samples of Hole U1433A drilled by the IODP Expedition 349 from the South China Sea. Results show that GRM is mostly acquired above ~55 mT AF demagnetization and can be effectively removed by heating to ~400°C during thermal demagnetization but a secondary tail could remain until ~585°C. In addition, no apparent GRM was observed during the AF demagnetization for the 400°C thermally treated samples. These results strongly suggest that GRM is dominantly carried by single domain (SD) greigite but with minor contributions from SD magnetite. Thus, thermal treatment alone or the hybrid demagnetization (i.e., thermal demagnetization at ~400°C first then systematical AF demagnetization) can efficiently avoid the GRM acquisition and be beneficial for relative paleointensity estimation for greigite‐bearing samples. Besides, GRM carried by greigite has a low thermal stability. Our results also show AF demagnetization spectra of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) could be strongly distorted by GRM effects due to both have a preference of SD particles. Thus, the median destructive field of ARM is improper to be used as a coercivity proxy for greigite‐bearing samples. Instead, the biplot analysis of AF demagnetization of natural remanent magnetization and ARM can be used to evaluate the relative content of greigite.

The end of the lunar dynamo.

Magnetic measurements of the lunar crust and Apollo samples indicate that the Moon generated a dynamo magnetic field lasting from at least 4.2 until <2.5 billion years (Ga) ago. However, it has been unclear when the dynamo ceased. Here, we report paleomagnetic and 40Ar/39Ar studies showing that two lunar breccias cooled in a near-zero magnetic field (<0.1 μT) at 0.44 ± 0.01 and 0.91 ± 0.11 Ga ago, respectively. Combined with previous paleointensity estimates, this indicates that the lunar dynamo likely ceased sometime between ~1.92 and ~0.80 Ga ago. The protracted lifetime of the lunar magnetic field indicates that the late dynamo was likely powered by crystallization of the lunar core.

Absolute Paleointensity Study of Miocene Tiva Canyon Tuff, Yucca Mountain, Nevada: Role of Fine‐Particle Grain‐Size Variations

AbstractFine‐grained, Ti‐poor titanomagnetite in the ~12.7 Ma Tiva Canyon (TC) Tuff systematically increases in grain size from superparamagnetic (SP) at the flow base to single domain (SD) at a few meters height. This allows us to examine the role of grain‐size variation on paleointensity, within the transition from SP to stable SD. We present magnetic properties from two previously unreported sections of the TC Tuff, as well as Thellier‐type paleointensity estimates from the lowermost ~7.0 m of the flow. Magnetic hysteresis, frequency‐dependent susceptibility, and thermomagnetic data show that sample grain‐size distribution is dominated by SP in the lower ~3.6 m, transitioning upwards to mostly stable SD. Paleointensity results are closely tied to stratigraphic height and to magnetic properties linked to domain state. SD samples have consistent absolute paleointensity values of 28.5 ± 1.94 μT (VADM of 51.3 ZAm2) and behaved ideally during paleointensity experiments. The samples including a significant SP fraction have consistently higher paleointensities and less ideal behavior but would likely pass many traditional quality‐control tests. We interpret the SD remanence to be a primary thermal remanent magnetization but discuss the possibility of a partial thermal‐chemical remanent magnetization if microcrystal growth continued at T &lt; Tc and/or the section is affected by post‐emplacement vapor‐phase alteration. The link between paleointensity and domain state is stronger than correlations with water content or other evidence of alteration and suggests that the presence of a significant SP population may adversely impact paleointensity results, even in the presence of a stable SD fraction.

Experimental Evaluation of Remanence Carriers Using the Microcoercivity‐Unblocking Temperature Diagram

AbstractKnowledge of remanence carriers in recording media is crucial for obtaining reliable paleomagnetic data. In this paper, we report a newly developed technique to determine remanence carriers in natural rock samples that uses anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) spectra in the microcoercivity (hc) and unblocking temperature (TUB) planes. The distribution of ARM carriers was determined via systematic stepwise demagnetization experiments of ARM combining thermal demagnetization and alternating field demagnetization treatments and calculating the change in ARM intensity on the hc‐TUB plane (hc‐TUB diagram). Samples from three basaltic lavas and two welded tuffs were analyzed. Combining the hc‐TUB diagram with the change in ARM coercivity spectra, both decreases and increases in magnetic minerals due to the thermal alteration during laboratory heating could be identified. From experimental samples, ARM carrier components were identified as being original rather than produced as a result of thermal alteration. In the case of the Izu‐Oshima 1986 A lava flow (1986La) sample, it was confirmed from the hc‐TUB diagram that high‐hc components can be separated using stepwise alternating field demagnetization treatment but not stepwise thermal demagnetization treatment. Paleointensity experiments were also conducted on Izu‐Oshima 1986 A lava flow samples. Two of the three paleointensity estimates were greater than the expected field intensity, suggesting a certain rock‐magnetic property that affects the paleointensity estimation. The hc‐TUB diagrams of the Izu‐Oshima 1986 A lava flow samples suggest that the differences in the paleointensity estimates were likely caused by different degrees of the high‐temperature oxidation state.

Relative paleointensity estimates from magnetic anisotropy: Proof of concept

Relative paleointensity data from sedimentary rocks play an important role to decipher the workings of the geodynamo and to correct for atmospheric cosmogenic radionucleide production, so it is important to understand how sediments acquire remanent magnetizations and to better assess the quality of relative paleointensity data. We present experimental results from sediments deposited in controlled magnetic fields to observe the changes in magnetic anisotropy as a function of applied field strength going from near Earth-like values to almost full saturation. Relative paleointensity values followed a very well defined power law through the entire range of applied field intensities. Magnetic remanence fabrics evolved from oblate with maximum anisotropy axes in the sedimentary plane at low field strengths to prolate with maximum anisotropy axes parallel to the applied field direction at high fields. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility also evolved with field strength, but in a much less coherent manner than anisotropy of magnetic remanence. The experiments used well-characterized, natural sediments containing single domain magnetite, which made it possible to numerically model the data. The model matches the field dependency of both relative paleointensity and magnetic fabric development using a simple assumption that a large proportion (∼80%) of the remanence carriers in the sediments are unable to align with the magnetic field while a small fraction are free to align. Anisotropy of magnetic remanence thus holds promise to improve and assess relative paleointensity estimates and helps improve theoretical treatment of magnetic recording in sediments.

Meteorite cloudy zone formation as a quantitative indicator of paleomagnetic field intensities and cooling rates on planetesimals

Metallic microstructures in slowly-cooled iron-rich meteorites reflect the thermal and magnetic histories of their parent planetesimals. Of particular interest is the cloudy zone, a nanoscale intergrowth of Ni-rich islands within a Ni-poor matrix that forms below ∼350°C by spinodal decomposition. The sizes of the islands have long been recognized as reflecting the low-temperature cooling rates of meteorite parent bodies. However, a model capable of providing quantitative cooling rate estimates from island sizes has been lacking. Moreover, these islands are also capable of preserving a record of the ambient magnetic field as they grew, but some of the key physical parameters required for recovering reliable paleointensity estimates from magnetic measurements of these islands have been poorly constrained. To address both of these issues, we present a numerical model of the structural and compositional evolution of the cloudy zone as a function of cooling rate and local composition. Our model produces island sizes that are consistent with present-day measured sizes. This model enables a substantial improvement in the calibration of paleointensity estimates and associated uncertainties. In particular, we can now accurately quantify the statistical uncertainty associated with the finite number of islands acquiring the magnetization and the uncertainty on their size at the time of the record. We use this new understanding to revisit paleointensities from previous pioneering paleomagnetic studies of cloudy zones. We show that these could have been overestimated by up to one order of magnitude but nevertheless still require substantial magnetic fields to have been present on their parent bodies. Our model also allows us to estimate absolute cooling rates for meteorites that cooled slower than <10,000°CMy−1. We demonstrate how these cooling rate estimates can uniquely constrain the low-temperature thermal history of meteorite parent bodies. Using the main-group pallasites as an example, we show that our results are consistent with the previously-proposed unperturbed, conductive cooling at low temperature of a ∼200-km radius main-group pallasite parent body.

Grain-size-dependent remanence anisotropy and its implications for paleodirections and paleointensities – Proposing a new approach to anisotropy corrections

Paleomagnetic data provide information on the evolution of the Earth's magnetic field, and are used to reconstruct plate motions. One fundamental assumption underlying these interpretations is that the magnetization of a rock reliably records the direction and intensity of the magnetizing field, i.e. that the magnetization is parallel to the field direction, and the intensity of magnetization is proportional to the field strength. Preferred alignment or anisotropic distribution of magnetic grains can affect both the direction and the intensity of magnetization. Therefore, correction techniques, employing the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), thermal remanence (ATRM), or anhysteretic remanence (AARM) are used to account for these effects. We find that AARM within the same rock can vary dramatically with coercivity/grain size, so that anisotropy corrections can also depend on how AARM was measured.A consequence of the dependence of AARM on coercivity is that although a specimen may have been magnetized in a single direction, different grain size fractions may record magnetizations in different orientations. These directional variations, as revealed during progressive alternating field (AF) demagnetization, could erroneously be interpreted as changes in field or reorientation of the rock unit, when in reality they are related to grain-size-dependent remanence anisotropy. Similarly, intensity variations caused by grain-size-dependent anisotropy may bias paleointensity estimates. These observations have important consequences for studies on the evolution of the Earth's magnetic field, magnetic overprinting, and paleogeographic reconstructions.

Paleointensity Estimates From Ignimbrites: The Bishop Tuff Revisited

AbstractVolcanic ash flow tuffs (ignimbrites) may contain single domain‐sized (titano) magnetite that should be good for recording geomagnetic field intensity, but due to their complex thermal histories also contain other magnetic grains, which can complicate and obscure paleointensity determination. An initial study of the suitability of the ~767 ka Bishop Tuff for measuring paleointensity found an internally consistent estimate of 43.0 ± 3.2 μT. This initial study also showed a spatial heterogeneity in reliable paleointensity estimates that is possibly associated with vapor‐phase alteration and fumarolic activity, which motivated resampling of the Bishop Tuff to examine spatial changes in magnetic properties. Three new stratigraphic sections of the Bishop Tuff within the Owens River gorge were sampled, and the paleointensity results from the initial study in the same locality were reinterpreted. The mean of all sites is 41.9 ± 11.8 μT; this agrees with the initial study's finding but with substantially greater scatter. Two sections show evidence of vapor‐phase alteration where the presence of titanohematite, likely carrying a thermochemical remanence, produces nonideal behavior. This thermochemical remanence in the upper portion of the section also produces some paleointensity estimates of technically high quality that have significantly higher intensity than the rest of the tuff. Our best estimate for paleointensity, 39.6 ± 9.9 μT, comes from the densely welded ignimbrite that was emplaced above the Curie temperature of magnetite. The low permeability of this unit likely shielded it from vapor‐phase alteration. Our results suggest that care must be taken in interpreting paleointensity data from large tuffs as nonthermal remanence may be present.

Reliable paleointensity determinations from Late Cretaceous volcanic rocks in Korea with constraint of thermochemical alteration

Paleointensity determinations were carried out from Late Cretaceous (∼77 Ma) volcanic rocks in Korea using a Thellier-type IZZI experimental protocol with systematic partial thermal remanent magnetization (pTRM) checks. Various data selection criteria were used to estimate reliable paleointensities. We set stringent threshold values for each parameter to ensure that there was: (1) a linear relationship between natural remanent magnetization (NRM) lost and TRM gained; (2) negligible thermal alteration of magnetic minerals; and (3) uni-vectorial decay of NRM towards the origin. From the 336 samples, ∼88% were rejected because of an insufficient extrapolated NRM fraction in the best-fit line (fvds < 0.6), highlighting that fvds is the most stringent selection criterion in this study. For the 31 accepted samples, paleointensities range from 6.4 to 30.4 µT. Among the 31 samples, eight samples yielded extremely low paleointensities. Although single-domain (titano)magnetite was identified as the stable paleointensity recorder, oxidation of superparamagnetic fractions upon repeated heating probably caused enhancement of pTRM acquisition and yielded a low paleointensity estimate. Apart from these low paleointensities (n = 8) as screened by a newly proposed data selection criterion of Δk < 0.2, the remaining 23 samples have a mean paleointensity of 23.1 ± 4.8 µT, corresponding to a virtual axial dipole moment (VADM) of 40.8 ± 8.5 ZAm2, which is ∼50% of the present-day VADM.

Application of an Anisotropy‐Based Correction to Relative Paleointensity Estimates of Experimentally Deposited Sediments

AbstractThe magnetization of a sediment is acquired when ferromagnetic detrital particles align with the Earth's magnetic field as they settle through the water column. The relative continuity and ubiquity of the global sedimentary record makes sediments and sedimentary rocks an ideal target for studies of relative paleointensity (RPI) and the evolution of the Earth's magnetic field. However, processes including flocculation, contact with the substrate, bioturbation, and compaction disrupt this alignment, leading to shallowed remanent inclinations and biased intensities. The inclination of the depositional field also exerts an influence on the remanent intensity, thus affecting RPI estimates and leading to complications in interpretations of the global record. We present a series of 12 deposition experiments conducted in varying field strengths and inclinations, from which we determine RPI estimates. We then correct these estimates using a modified anisotropy‐based inclination correction technique. We find experimentally that our correction reduces the inclination dependence of relative paleointensity while preserving the RPI's dependence on the depositional intensity. Our results suggest that the anisotropy‐based correction should improve RPI estimates obtained from natural sediments and sedimentary rocks.

Paleoproterozoic Geomagnetic Field Strength From the Avanavero Mafic Sills, Amazonian Craton, Brazil

AbstractA recent hypothesis has suggested that Earth's inner core nucleated during the Mesoproterozoic, as evidenced by a rapid increase in the paleointensity (ancient geomagnetic field intensity) record; however, paleointensity data during the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic period are limited. To address this problem, we have determined paleointensity from samples from three Paleoproterozoic Avanavero mafic sills (Amazonian Craton, Brazil): Cotingo, 1,782 Ma, Puiuà, 1,788 Ma, and Pedra Preta, 1,795 Ma. We adopted a multiprotocol approach for paleointensity estimates combining Thellier‐type IZZI and LTD‐IZZI methods, and the nonheating Preisach protocol. We obtained an average VDM value of 1.3 ± 0.7 × 1022Am2 (Cotingo) of 2.0 ± 0.4 × 1022Am2 (Puiuà) and 6 ± 4 × 1022Am2 (Pedra Preta); it is argued that the Cotingo estimate is the most robust. Our results are the first data from the upper Paleoproterozoic for South America and are comparable to data available from other regions and similar periods. The new data do not invalidate the hypothesis of that Earth's inner core nucleated during the Mesoproterozoic.

Paleointensity From Subaerial Basaltic Glasses From the Second Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP2) Core and Implications for Possible Bias in Data From Lava Flow Interiors

AbstractIn this study, we collected samples from subaerial basaltic glassy margins from the second Hawaii Scientific Drilling Project (HSDP2) core. We employed the rigorous “IZZI” method during the paleointensity experiment combined with the stringent “CCRIT” criteria for data selection to obtain 21 robust paleointensity estimates recorded by glassy margins from 20 lava flows. We compared our new results to published paleointensities from the interiors of the lava flows from HSDP2 and found that our data are systematically lower than those from the interiors of the same lava flows. The reasons for the discrepancy in intensity are still unclear, but one possibility that could not be absolutely excluded is the effect of cooling rate on the more slowly cooled lava flow interiors. Although our new data from the glassy margins are lower than those from the lava flow interiors, they are still overall higher than the expected field of the study site calculated from a geocentric axial dipole model with an ancient average field of 42 ZAm2, either because of a long‐term local anomaly of the field in Hawaii or an insufficient age distribution of our new data (e.g., missing the time period with low field intensities).

Late Quaternary paleomagnetic secular variation recorded in deep-sea sediments from the Demerara Rise, equatorial west Atlantic Ocean

We have carried out a paleomagnetic/rock magnetic study of two gravity cores and two multicores from the Demerara Rise (∼8°N), adjacent to NE South America. The magnetic measurements indicate that there is a stable natural remanent magnetization (NRM) carried primarily by detrital magnetite/titanomagnetite that preserves the local pattern of paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV). The two gravity cores have consistent patterns of directional variability. The rock magnetic intensities in both gravity cores vary by less than a factor of three. Relative paleointensity estimates have been derived by normalizing the NRM to Chi, ARM, and SIRM. Both gravity cores show the same pattern of relative paleointensity variability. 27 calibrated radiocarbon dates from our studied gravity cores and one additional piston core (Huang et al., 2014) have been used to build chronologies for the two gravity cores. Core 25GGC has bulk sedimentation rates varying from 18 to 22cm/ky and contains a PSV record for the last 19ka; core 9GGC has bulk sedimentation rates of 9–17cm/ky and contains a PSV record for the last 28ka. There are no other published, good-quality, well-dated full-vector PSV records within 4000km of the sites, a region which constitutes almost 20% of the Earth’s surface area. Our relative paleointensity records are consistent with other global records under the assumption of field intensity being largely a global-scale process. We have compared our directional PSV data statistically with eight other good-quality, well-dated low-latitude PSV records. Our statistical analysis shows that our Demerara Rise directional PSV records are consistent with those other studies and that the Late Quaternary Equatorial field variability is significantly lower than much longer-duration (780ka to 5Ma) variability.

Paleomagnetic study of an historical lava flow from the Llaima volcano, Chile

The understanding of the paleosecular variations (PSV) of the geomagnetic field in South America is still biased by the scarcity of data. Especially, the recent geomagnetic PSV is characterized by the large growth of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) during the last centuries, first documented by the geomagnetic model gufm1 (Jackson et al., 2000). A large amount of data is required to understand the time and geographic distribution of this primary feature, and the Andean Pleistocene and Holocene volcanoes are an excellent recorder of instant local changes in SV. Here we present a preliminary study from 18 paleomagnetic samples collected during 2015 on what it was supposed to be the 1750 or the 1957–58 AD lava flow on the Llaima Volcano (38.692° S; 71.729° W), one of the most active centers of the Chilean Andes, in the Southern Volcanic Zone. A detailed paleomagnetic study was performed in order to recover the Declination and Inclination of the geomagnetic field, obtain the paleointensity and define the magnetic mineralogy. AF demagnetization until 1 T yielded an average vector at Dec/Inc 2.3°/-33.1° with α95 of 2.4°. This direction is carried by titanomagnetite grains with 40–45% ulvospinel as revealed by thermomagnetic curves. Paleointensity estimates were obtained following the IZZI-Thellier protocol. Seven specimens from 5 samples provided reliable results (success rate of 35%), giving an average paleointensity for these specimens of 30.88 ± 2.39 μT. The full magnetic vector obtained here was compared to archaeomagnetic reference curves and the IGRF suggest that the lava flow has the age of 1957–58 AD.

Nonheating methods for absolute paleointensity determination: Comparison and calibration using synthetic and natural magnetite‐bearing samples

AbstractNonheating paleointensity methods utilize an anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) or a saturation isothermal remanent magnetization to model the natural thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) to avoid heating‐induced alteration. We report the results of paleointensity experiments using the ARM, pseudo‐Thellier, and ratio of equivalent magnetization (REM) methods conducted to investigate their relative efficiency in recovering the true paleofield strength and to provide additional estimates of their calibration factors. The experiments on synthetic magnetite‐bearing samples representing single‐domain (SD) and pseudo‐single‐domain (PSD) magnetic states indicated that the correction factors for the ARM‐based methods depend on the magnetic grain size/domain state changing from ~6.3 (for SD grains) to ~4.1 (for ~1.5 µm PSD grains). The pseudo‐Thellier method yielded correct absolute paleointensity values when normalization by the TRM/ARM demagnetization slope was used. When applied to samples of lava flows and dikes from the ~32 kyr Lemptégy volcano (France), both the ARM and pseudo‐Thellier methods produced similar paleointensity estimates (28.0 ± 5.1 μT and 26.9 ± 4.7 μT, respectively) consistent with the available Thellier data for the 31–33 kyr time interval. The correction factors estimated from our synthetic samples for the REM (~3000) and for REMc (~1500) and REM′ (~1500) variants are consistent with the previously published estimates. However, all REM variants yielded unrealistically high estimates (&gt;110 μT) of the paleofield strength from our natural samples. Our experimental results support ARM as a better proxy of TRM and suggest that the ARM‐based methods currently represent the best alternative to heating‐based absolute paleointensity method.

Paleomagnetic directional groups and paleointensity from the flood basalt in the Tarim large igneous province: implications for eruption frequency

We present paleomagnetic secular variation and paleointensity from the Early Permian Tarim large igneous province, NW China. The studied sections comprise a total of ~400 m of basaltic flows. Paleomagnetic directions were determined for 11 flows. Four successive flows with a cumulative thickness of ~150 m showed a statistically identical paleomagnetic direction. Assuming a paleosecular variation speed similar to that of the present day, the ~150-m-thick basalt was estimated to have erupted within the past few centuries. Paleointensity experiments were performed on both whole-rock and single plagioclase samples. Although alterations during the experiment and/or weak remanence degraded the data quality, the flows with the same paleomagnetic direction revealed similar paleointensity estimates, supporting the hypothesis that the eruption of these flows was rapid. More generally, flows from the Lower Kupukuziman Formation seem to record lower paleointensity compared to flows from the overlying Kaipaizileike Formation.Graphical abstractLeft the extent of the Tarim large igneous province. Center in-situ paleomagnetic directions obtained from the Tarim large igneous province. Subashi and Yingan represents directions reported in a previous research. Right tilt-corrected paleomagnetic directions. Tight clustering of the direction indicate fast eruption relative to the paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV) speed.

Mineralogical changes upon heating in the Millbillillie meteorite: Implications for paleointensity determination in Apollo samples

Measuring the intensity of the Moon's ancient magnetic field is an important goal of lunar sample analysis. Paleointensity estimates using thermal methods (Thellier–Thellier) raise the problem of sample alteration, especially for lunar samples carrying sulfides. To address this problem, we made real-time measurements of sample magnetization during heating with a three-axis vibrating sample magnetometer (the Triaxe, LeGoff and Gallet, 2004), in the hope that rapid heating would minimize alteration (Coe et al., 2014). We studied the Millbillillie meteorite, which has a lunar-like mineralogy. We find that after repeated heating phases to ∼600°C, we form pyrrhotite, magnetite, and magnetic phases with low (200–270°C) Curie temperatures. These low-temperature phases appear after pyrrhotite has apparently been destroyed by subsequent heating phases, and their mineralogy is unknown. These results have implications for the paleomagnetic study of any extraterrestrial samples with even small amounts of sulfides, and further experiments are required to understand them.

Effect of static pressure on absolute paleointensity recording with implications for meteorites

AbstractWe investigated the influence of hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic stress on the recording process of magnetic field intensity with particular relevance for meteorites that experienced pressures lower than 5 GPa corresponding to the lowest shock stage classification (S1) in meteorites. Thermal remanent magnetizations were imparted on natural obsidian samples containing pseudo‐single domain titanomagnetite, analogous to some achondritic meteorites. Thellier‐type paleointensity experiments were carried out at ambient conditions after pressure cycling to 0.6, 1.2, and 1.8 GPa. Each experiment used 10 samples to assess reproducibility, which is better than ±5%. The recorded paleointensity decreased 10%/GPa under hydrostatic stress and 20%/GPa under nonhydrostatic stress, leading to the fundamental conclusion that paleointensity results from meteorites may be appreciably underestimated. Pressure cycling shifts the blocking and unblocking spectra, thereby producing more linear slopes on an Arai diagram with increasing strain. We explain why, for samples with a single magnetization component that does not alter, a two‐step paleointensity protocol sufficiently resolves the true paleointensity. Moreover, we propose that pressure cycling of pseudo‐single domain bearing samples will remove the inherent curvature of the Arai slope, thereby allowing one to obtain a more accurate estimate of the true paleointensity. This likely also holds true for samples possessing multidomain grains. Conversely, linear trends on Arai plots in meteorites might have their origin in a pressure effect that does not necessarily reflect the ubiquitous presence of single domain particles.

Full-vector paleomagnetic secular variation records from latest quaternary sediments of Lake Malawi (10.0°S, 34.3°E)

We have conducted a paleomagnetic study of Late Quaternary sediments from Lake Malawi, East Africa, in order to develop a high-resolution record of paleomagnetic secular variation (PSV). This study has recovered PSV records from two cores (3P, 6P) in northern Lake Malawi (10.0°S, 34.3°E). The PSV appears to be recorded in fine-grained detrital magnetite/titanomagnetite grains. Detailed af demagnetization of the natural remanence (NRM) shows that a distinctive characteristic remanence (ChRM) is demagnetized from ∼20 to 80 mT, which decreases simply toward the origin. The resulting directional PSV records for 3P and 6P are easily correlatable with 29 distinct inclination features and 29 declination features. The statistical character of the PSV in both cores is consistent with Holocene PSV noted at other Holocene equatorial sites. Radiocarbon dating of the cores is based on 18 independent radiocarbon dates and four dated stratigraphic horizons that can be correlated into each core. The final directional PSV time series cover the last 24,000 years with an average sediment accumulation rate of ∼30 cm/kyr. We have also developed a relative paleointensity estimate for these PSV records based on normalizing the NRM (after 20 mT af demagnetization) by the SIRM (after 20 mT af demagnetization). Changing sedimentation patterns complicate any attempt to develop a single paleointensity record for the entire core lengths. We have developed a relative paleointensity record for the last 6000 years that has 14 correlatable features including 5 notable peaks in intensity. Three of these peaks are synchronous with paleointensity highs farther north in SE Europe/SW Asia/Egypt but two of the peaks are at times of low paleointensity farther north. We interpret this to indicate that Lake Malawi (10°S) is at least partly under the influence of a different flux-regeneration region of the outer-core dynamo. A relative paleointensity record was also developed for ∼11,000–24,000 YBP; the general pattern appears to be consistent with other published records, but our confidence in the correlations is more limited.