Handbuch der Physik-Geophysik III/6: G.M. Von Nikol'skij,K. Rawer,P. Stubbe,L. Thomas and T. Yonezawa. Springer-Verlag, 1982, 124 Figs., VI + 385 pp., US $126.60, ISBN 3-540-07080-X

A model mechanism has been derived for the evolution of the cation distribution in titanomaghemites, which have formed by the progressive removal of iron from the spinel lattice. According to the model, the cation distribution of a titanomaghemite is not a unique function of composition but depends on the path by which maghemitization has taken place. Cation distributions (and consequent magnetic properties) have been calculated and compared for titanomaghemite produced by the “removal of iron” and “addition of oxygen” mechanisms. For a given composition, the Curie point temperature is almost invariant, being, according to molecular field theory, more sensitive to composition than cation distribution. Therefore, the model cannot explain the variations observed in synthetic titanomaghemite of different provenances. According to the model, the spontaneous magnetization is significantly lower for the removal of iron mechanism, which may be helpful in explaining a decrease in the remanence of submarine basalts with age.Structurally metastable titanomaghemites invert to an intergrowth of phases on heating above approximately 350°C and it is expected that the inversion product would be independent of the mechanism by which maghemitization had previously taken place. Available X-ray, and other data, have been used to produce a simple model of the inversion process, and values of the Curie point of the inversion product and the ratio of the magnetization before and after the inversion derived. These model values compare favourably with experimental values for a synthetic titanomaghemite in which inversion was induced by progressive slow heating to approximately 600°C. The inversion process therefore has potential in determining the compositions of naturally occurring titanomaghemites.     

Low temperature magnetic properties of basalts containing near ~TM30 titanomagnetite

The paper is devoted to studying the mineral composition and magnetic properties, mainly at the cryogenic temperatures, of the Middle–Late Devonian basalts from North Timan. The magnetic minerals in these basalts are dominated by intermediate-composition titanomagnetites (TM25–TM30) which demonstrate unusual magnetic properties in a wide temperature range. At room temperature, a low coercive force coexists with relatively high M_rs/M_s ratios. At cryogenic temperatures, the dependences of magnetic susceptibility on the temperature and frequency of the applied field are characteristic of this titanomagnetite composition, whereas the remanent saturation magnetization acquired at 2 K is destroyed at significantly lower temperatures compared to the synthetic analogs. The obtained results again highlight the necessity of studying the low-temperature properties of titanomagnetite samples with a controlled composition and grain size.     

Magnetic and crystallographic properties of synthetic titanomaghemite

Systematic magnetic and crystallographic studies were made on 57 titanomaghemite samples produced from sintered titanomagnetites with x values of 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0. Curie temperature and lattice parameter values are often significantly different from results of previous studies (Ozima and Sakamoto, 1971; Readman and O'Reilly, 1972; Nishitani, 1979), particularly for x values of 0.4 and 0.6. Other important results are: (1) Oxidation of titanomagnetite is mainly a function of temperature. Atmosphere and Ti content have little influence. (2) Progressive oxidation of homogeneous titanomaghemites can take place in the presence of a rhombohedral phase. The amount of rhombohedral phase produced during oxidation increases with increasing temperature and (less conclusively) with decreasing Ti content. (3) Saturation magnetization measurements at low temperatures show both P- and Q-type ferrimagnetic behavior in titanomaghemites, and also show the Verwey (?) transition in titanomaghemites with composition x=0.0. (4) The temperature of spinel inversion increases with degree of oxidation. Slightly oxidized samples invert near 300°C; for samples with z > 0.8 the inversion temperature is above 450°C. This last result, although neither expected nor understood, is supported by results of thermomagnetic studies on some oceanic basalts.     

Performance of methods for estimating the time of concentration in a watershed of a tropical region

The time of concentration (T_c) is a fundamental parameter in the design of hydrological projects for watersheds. In this study a graphical methodology is described for estimating T_c in a watershed, and this is applied to 17 rainfall–runoff events from a rural watershed located near the capital city of Mato Grosso do Sul State, in the Brazilian Cerrado. The T_c values obtained through the graphical method were compared to T_c values estimated using 20 equations from various references. The equations were selected by considering those that were not developed using data for urban watersheds, and the results of the graphical method were compared to those derived by applying the equations to sub-basin data. The graphical method was reliable in determining T_c, and Ventura’s equation was found to present the best performance for a rural watershed in a tropical climate region.     

Magnetic hysteresis as a function of low temperature for deep-sea basalts containing large titanomagnetite grains-inference of domain state and controls on coercivity

Hysteresis loops to 1200 oersteds (9.55×10⁴ A m^?1) are measured between 295 K and 105 K for two deep-sea basalts (DSDP, Leg 34 and 37) containing large (～200 μm) unexsolved titanomagnetite grains. The Curie points, electron microprobe analyses and saturation magnetizations of the magnetic grains are the same as for unoxidized synthetic titanomagnetite (xFe₂TiO₄·(l ? x)Fe₃O₄) with x=0.6.As temperature is lowered from 295 to 190 K, coercive force H_c slowly rises from ～40 Oe to ～95 Oe approximately in proportion to the rise in the magnetostriction constant λ. Presumably, H_c is controlled by λ through internal stresses impeding domain wall motion. As expected of multidomain grains, the ratio of saturation remanence to saturation magnetization (in 1200 oersted cycles) j_R/j_S rises approximately in proportion to H_c, with a constant of proportionality consistent with titanomagnetite (x=0.6).As temperature is lowered from 190 to 120 K, H_c rises rapidly to ～400 Oe as a roughly linear function of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant K₁. Perhaps H_c is now controlled by K₁ through non-magnetic inclusions impeding domain wall motion.As temperature is lowered from 120 to 105 K, H_c rises even more rapidly to ～600 Oe. The control over H_c seems to have changed again, though most of the titanomagnetite is in grains large enough to still contain a few domains. The ratio j_R/j_S reaches 0.7 by 105 K and appears to be saturating towards the theoretical limit of 0.83.     

Variation of the magnetic properties in a basaltic dyke with concentric cooling zones

The effects of the variation of magnetic grain size on the magnetic properties of rocks have been studied throughout a reversely magnetized basaltic dyke with concentric cooling zones.Except in a few tachylites in which the magnetic mineral is a Ti-rich titanomagnetite, in the bulk of the dyke the magnetization is carried by almost pure magnetite grains. Although the percentage p of these magnetic oxides varies slightly, the large changes in the various magnetic parameters observed across the dyke are essentially attributable to large variations in the grain size of the magnetic particles.From the outer scoria region, where the magnetic grains are a mixture of single-domain (SD) and superparamagnetic (SP) grains, to the tachylite zone with finely crystallized basaltic glass containing interacting elongated SD particles, one observes an increase of both the ratio of the saturation remanent magnetization and the saturation induced magnetization J_rs/J_is, the bulk coercive force H_c, the median destructive field MDF, the intensity of the remanent magnetization J_r, and the Koenigsberger ratio Q. In the tachylites these parameters reach unusually high values, for subaerial basalts:

$\text{〈}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{rs}}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{is}}\text{〉 = 0.3, 〈H}{}_{\mathrm{c}}\text{〉 = 460 O}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{, 〈MDF〉 = 620 O}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\text{r.m.s., 〈J}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{〉 = 2.7 · 10}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}\text{e.m.u. cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{〈Q〉 = 24}$

These parameters decrease in the basalt toward the centre of the dyke where pseudo-single-domain (pseudo-SD) particles coexist together with multidomain (MD) grains. The susceptibility remains approximately constant from the inner basalt to the tachylite, but increases in the scoria up to values 10 times higher owing to the presence of SP particles. The magnetic viscosity increases also drastically toward the margin of the dyke due to an increase of the fraction of the SD particles just above the superparamagnetic threshold.     

Measurement of the adiabats of quartz,forsterite, and magnesium oxide at high pressures and high temperatures and adiabatic gradient in the mantle

The geophysically-important adiabat (?T/?P)_s has been measured at pressures up to 50 kbar and temperatures up to 1000°C. A simple power law describes the relationship between (?T/?P)_s and the compression of the material. The power is independent of the material and of the temperature within the uncertainty. This consistency in the power allows the extrapolation of the adiabat to pressure and temperature conditions of the mantle of the earth. The adiabatic gradient is shown to be significantly smaller than the melting gradient.     

Magnetic anomalies and rock magnetism of basalts from Reykjanes (SW-Iceland)

This study presents rock magnetic properties along with magnetic field measurements of different stratigraphic and lithologic basalt units from Reykjanes, the southwestern promontory of the Reykjanes peninsula, where the submarine Reykjanes Ridge passes over into the rift zone of southwestern Iceland. The basaltic fissure eruptions and shield lava of tholeiitic composition (less than 11500 a old) show a high natural remanent magnetization (NRM, J_r) up to 33.6 A/m and high Koenigsberger ratio (Q) up to 52.2 indicating a clear dominance of the NRM compared to the induced part of the magnetization. Pillow basalts and picritic shield lava show distinctly lower J_r values below 10 A/m. Magnetic susceptibility (κ) ranges for all lithologies from 2.5 to 26×10⁻³ SI.     

Remanent magnetization of maghemitized basalts from Krafla drill cores, NE-Iceland

We investigated the natural remanent magnetization (J_r) of hydrothermally altered basalts from two drill cores KH1 (200 m) and KH3 (400 m) situated at the rim of the Krafla caldera in NE Iceland, where a geothermal field (>150°C) is still active. Low temperature oxidation along with mineral reactions in the chlorite zone (<350°C) is the prevailing cause for the maghemitization and a strong decrease of J_r to occur in our study. Despite a significant decrease of J_r with respect to fresh basalts in surface outcrops of the same area, the stepwise demagnetization analyses of J_r show the presence of a stable magnetic component with the expected inclination of 77° in Iceland. Because the alteration temperature (<350°C) is above the Curie temperatures of most of the original titanomagnetite (40°?C350°C), we suggest that a normal direction of remanence is chemically acquired during the low temperature alteration. We observed only one reliable negative inclination at 293.2 m in the KH3 core, which we rather interpret to be acquired during a geomagnetic excursion with reverse polarity than caused by a self-reversal mechanism.     

Rock-magnetic properties of topsoils and urban dust from Morelia (>800,000 inhabitants), Mexico: Implications for anthropogenic pollution monitoring in Mexico’s medium size cities

In this work, we investigate the correlation between some magnetic parameters and the level of contamination by heavy metals in urban soils from Morelia city, western Mexico. The magnetic study was carried out on 98 urban soils samples belonging to distinct land uses. Most of analyzed samples contain ferrimagnetic minerals as the responsible for magnetization, most probably corresponding to the titanomagnetites/ titanomaghemites solid solutions. This is inferred from the susceptibility vs. temperature measurements and the isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) experiments. These measurements also indicate that most of samples are almost completely saturated before 300 mT. Additionally, the S_-200 values (S_-200 = IRM_-200/ SIRM, where IRM_-200= Back-field of 200 mT after magnetic saturation) are between 0.7 and 1.0, characteristic of low coercivity magnetic minerals. The averaged saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) curves can be used as an indicator of pollution level, as these curves show different saturation values according to the level of contamination by heavy metals: Cu, Ni, Cr and Sr. These associations of (titano)magnetite with heavy metals were observed by Scanning Electron Microscope revealing some complex aggregates rather than commonly detected spherules.     

The effects of annealing and concentration on the hysteresis properties of magnetite around the PSD-MD transition

Hysteresis parameters H_cr, H_c, J_rs, J_s, and their ratios H_cr/H_c, J_rs/J_s have been measured for a large number of accurately prepared grain size fractions of magnetite in the range between 5 and 150 μm. For several grain size fractions three different concentrations of magnetite are used: 100, 0.1, and 0.002 vol.%. Most of the measurements were repeated after annealing the specimens to 600°C. For some specimens in the pseudo-single (PSD) and multidomain (MD) range H_c and H_cr have been measured as functions of temperature. Plots of the results from H_c, H_cr/H_c and J_rs/J_s versus the grain size reveal curves with a convex and a concave part. Concentration and annealing affects the values of the hysteresis parameters, especially for grains coarser than 25 μm but the shape of the curves remains the same. The inflection point from convex to concave for all curves occurs at 25 μm and it appears to be independent of concentration and annealing. It is therefore proposed to define the transition from PSD to MD as the inflection point of these curves.     

The method of high harmonics for determining reheating palaeotemperatures

Summary When reheated to temperatures below the Curie temperature (T_c) and subsequently cooled in a constant magnetic field it has been shown that rocks which contain magnetic minerals will acquire an induced magnetic anisotropy (IMA). The IMA is capable of retaining information on the palaeointensity of the geomagnetic field and the palaeotemperature of this most recent heating. A novel technique for determining the palaeotemperature has been developed, employing the high-harmonics method.     

Experimental and numerical simulation of the acquisition of chemical remanent magnetization and the Thellier procedure

The results of the Thellier–Coe experiments on paleointensity determination on the samples which contain chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) created by thermal annealing of titanomagnetites are reported. The results of the experiments are compared with the theoretical notions. For this purpose, Monte Carlo simulation of the process of CRM acquisition in the system of single-domain interacting particles was carried out; the paleointensity determination method based on the Thellier–Coe procedure was modeled; and the degree of paleointensity underestimation was quantitatively estimated based on the experimental data and on the numerical results. Both the experimental investigations and computer modeling suggest the following main conclusion: all the Arai–Nagata diagrams for CRM in the high-temperature area (in some cases up to the Curie temperature T _c) contain a relatively long quasi-linear interval on which it is possible to estimate the slope coefficient k and, therefore, the paleointensity. Hence, if chemical magnetization (or remagnetization) took place in the course of the magnetomineralogical transformations of titanomagnetite- bearing igneous rocks during long-lasting cooling or during repeated heatings, it can lead to incorrect results in determining the intensity of the geomagnetic field in the geological past.     

Evaluation of the change in dominant periods in the lake-bed zone of Mexico City produced by ground subsidence through the use of site amplification factors

We compute site amplification functions for several sites in Mexico City using actual accelerograms recorded from 1985 to 2010 and we present field evidence of the change in the dominant period of a given site (T_s) as a consequence of ground subsidence produced by groundwater withdrawal. The changes in T_s are larger in the lake-bed zone where thicker clay deposits exist, although there are sites in the southwest part of the lake-bed zone where T_s has remained constant. With the information obtained from the site amplification functions and available geotechnical soundings we develop an empirical model to estimate the future value of T_s for several sites in Mexico City. Because the practical application of the model requires extrapolation we also present a method to compute the uncertainty of the model when it is used to forecast a future value of T_s at a given site. Our results suggest that significant changes in the dominant period at several sites in Mexico City can be expected in the future.     

The PSD to MD transition of magnetite

Hysteresis parameters, H_cr, H_c, J_rs, J_s and their ratios H_cr/H_c, J_rs/J_s, have been measured for a large number of accurately prepared grain size fractions of magnetite ranging between 5 and 150 μm. For several grain size fractions, three different concentrations of magnetite are used: 100, 0.1 and 0.02 volume percentage. Most of the measurements were repeated after annealing the specimens to 600°C. Plots of the results from H_c, H_cr/H_c and J_rs/J_s versus the grain size reveal partly convex and concave curves. Concentration and annealing affect the values of the hysteresis parameters, especially for grains finer than 25 μm, but the shape of the curves remains the same. The inflection point from convex to concave for all curves occurs at 25 μm and it appears to be independent of concentration and annealing. It is therefore proposed to define the transition from PSD to MD as the inflection point of these curves.     

Notes on the variation of magnetization within basalt lava flows and dikes

Summary The magnetic properties of basaltic rocks are dominated by the contained primary Fe–Ti oxides. At solidus temperature (1000°C) the composition of these primary oxides is restricted to titanomagnetite (Fe_3-xTi_xO₄) and hemoilmenites (Fe_2-yTi_yO₃). The examination of 269 chemical analyses of the primary Fe–Ti oxides in basalts (in sensu lato) gives an average ofx=0.61 (T _c=168°C) for the titanomagnetites andy=0.89 (T _c=–121°C) for the hemoilmenites. If distinction is made between tholeiites, alkali basalts and andesites, a clear difference for thex-values is observed: the average for tholeiitesx=0.64 (T _c=144°C), for alkali basaltsx=0.52 (T _c=253°C), for andesitesx=0.38 (T _c=341°C).Environment of crystallization and cooling rate are major interrelated factors influencing subsequent changes in the mineralogy of the primary Fe–Ti oxides and resulting magnetic properties. This has been tested by studying the variation of magnetization and some of its parameters in three different basalt rock units: a dike, 180 cm, and two lava flows, 3 m and 33 m thick, respectively. Grain size and oxidation state of the titanomagnetites control the variation of magnetization in these basalt units.     

Magnetic properties of synthetic titanomagnetites

Magnetic properties and crystal structure parameters of synthetic solid solutions Fe₃O₄Fe₃TiO₄, Fe₂O₄MgFe₂O₄ and Fe₃O₄Mg₂TiO₄ have been studied. Basic regularities in the behaviour of saturation magnetisation (I_s), Curie temperature (T_C) and cubic lattice parameter a during the substitution of Ti and Mg ions for Fe ions have been found. As the concentration of Ti ions increases, I_s reduces from 70 Gs·cm³ g^?1 to 0, T_C changes from 580 to 130°C and a from 8.391 to 8.520 Å. Growth of the Mg concentration leads to changes in I_s to 19.8 Gs·cm³, g^?1, T_C, to 440°C and a, to 8.360 Å. The full Fe ions substitution gives $\text{“a”=8.440}\text{A}\text{?}$.Chemical compositions of the samples, in which the valency variation of Fe ions at oxidation leads to an increase in susceptibility and T_C, have been determined.     

Paleomagnetism of the latest Precambrian/Cambrian Unicoi basalts from the Blue Ridge, northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia: evidence for Taconic deformation

Three components of magnetization have been observed in ninety-six samples (twelve sites) of amygdaloidal basalts and “sedimentary greenstones” of the Unicoi Formation in the Blue Ridge Province of northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. These components could be isolated by alternating field as well as thermal demagnetization. One component, with a direction close to that of the present-day geomagnetic field is ascribed to recent viscous remanent magnetizations; another component, with intermediate blocking temperatures and coercivities, gives a mean direction of D = 132°, I = +43°,α₉₅ = 9° for N = 10 sites before correction for tilt of the strata. This direction and the corresponding pole position are close to Ordovician/Silurian data from the North American craton and we infer this magnetization to be due to a thermal(?) remagnetization during or after the Taconic orogeny. This magnetization is of post-folding origin, which indicates that the Blue Ridge in our area was structurally affected by the Taconic deformation. The third component, with the highest blocking temperatures and coercivities, appears to reside in hematite. Its mean direction, D = 276°, I = ?17°,α₉₅ = 13.8° for N = 6 sites (after tilt correction) corresponds to a pole close to Latest Precambrian and Cambrian poles for North America. The fold test is inconclusive for this magnetization at the 95% confidence level because of the near-coincidence of the strike and the declinations. We infer this direction to be due to early high-temperature oxidation of the basalts, and argue that its magnetization may have survived the later thermal events because of its intrinsic high blocking temperatures. A detailed examination of the paleomagnetic directions from this study reveals that the Blue Ridge in this area may have undergone a small counterclockwise rotation of about 15°.     

Theoretical grain size limits for single-domain,pseudo-single-domain and multi-domain behavior in titanomagnetite (x = 0.6) as a function of low-temperature oxidation

A theoretical model of grain size variation of domain transitions in titanomagnetite (x = 0.6) as a function of oxidation (z) is presented. The superparamagnetic (SP) to single-domain (SD) transition d_s, the SD to two-domain (TD) transition d₀, the TD to three-domain (3D) transition and the pseudo-single domain (PSD) to multi-domain (MD) transition are calculated as a function of z. It is shown that all the transition grain sizes increase with z, except for the PSD-MD transition for z > 0.6. The calculations predict that d_s increases from 0.044 to 0.197 μm, d₀ increases from 0.54 to 13 μm, the TD-3D transition increases from 1.6 to 49 μm as z varies from 0 to 0.8. The PSD-MD transition increases from 42 μm at z = 0 to 150 μm at z = 0.6, whereas between z = 0.6 to z = 0.8, the PSD-MD transition decreases to 49 μm. Qualitatively, the model explains some of the trends in magnetic properties of submarine basalts with low-temperature oxidation. Quantitatively, the model does give reasonable estimates of the PSD-MD boundary and d₀, which are close to the experimental values for x = 0.6 and z = 0. Furthermore, the model predicts that psarks or two-domain grains could be the major contributors to the remanence of oxidized submarine pillow basalts.