江西信江盆地上白垩统风成红层的古地磁研究

红层是古地磁学的重要研究对象之一。以往对河湖相红层的古地磁研究较多，而对于风成红层的研究较少。因 此，对于风成红层剩磁记录是否可靠等基本问题仍然缺乏清晰的认识。文章对江西信江盆地上白垩统圭峰群塘边组风成 红层和河口组河流相红层开展了古地磁研究，并通过对比风成红层与河流相红层的古地磁结果，探究风成红层剩磁记录 的可靠性及不同沉积过程对古地磁记录的影响。逐步热退磁实验结果显示仅有19% 的塘边组风成红层分离出稳定的特征 剩磁，而且其强度衰减曲线为凸形，表明特征剩磁为碎屑赤铁矿携带的原生剩磁。其平均方向为Ds=15.6 °, Is=28.9 °, n= 25, κ=13.0, α95=8.3 °；对应的古地磁极为Latitude=70.7 °, Longitude=245.6 °, A95=6.8 °。该古地磁极与赣州地区河湖相红层 的古地磁极及华南晚白垩世的古地磁极位置一致，表明风成红层的剩磁记录是可靠的。河口组河流相红层绝大部分样品 未能分离出稳定的特征剩磁。磁化率各向异性结果显示塘边组和河口组为沉积组构。岩石磁学结果表明，载磁矿物为赤 铁矿和磁铁矿。通过对塘边组风成红层的薄片观察和红度值比较等进一步研究表明，颗粒粒度和胶结程度可能对红层剩 磁记录的稳定性有一定影响。     

羌塘盆地磁倾角浅化校正及其在构造上的应用——中侏罗纪以来约1 000 km的南北向缩短

古地磁磁倾角是古纬度的记录者,能真实反映块体在地质时期的古纬度,对块体构造活动有着很好的揭示作用。但最近众多的研究表明,沉积物所记录的磁倾角结果,往往存在浅化现象。因此,如何精确确定古地磁磁倾角方向,是研究块体南北向构造活动的关键。本文围绕古地磁研究相对薄弱的青藏高原腹地羌塘块体,针对雁石坪地区侏罗纪沉积地层开展了精细的古地磁研究,确定了雁石坪群沉积岩地层中灰岩和碎屑岩的剩磁方向(碎屑岩雀莫错组D_s=339.0°,I_s=24.4°,α₉₅=18.3°,灰岩布曲组D_s=336.9°,I_s=30.9°,α₉₅=7.8°),通过运用"E/I"统计方法对所获得的古地磁结果进行校正,发现雁石坪地区侏罗纪沉积岩由同沉积期间或沉积后的压实作用所造成的磁倾角浅化约5.7°～8.5°。该结果表明,羌塘块体在中侏罗世雀莫错组和布曲组期间存在约278 km北向漂移。校正后的古地磁结果,与同期的相邻块体塔里木极对比,揭示出磁倾角具有额外10.9°～14.6° 的浅化,可能指示了自中侏罗世以来,羌塘块体相对塔里木块体有约1 000 km的北向漂移和缩短。     

宁夏固原古近系寺口子组砂岩成因探讨*

宁夏固原寺口子组砂岩是中国古近纪内陆古环境研究的重要载体。通过岩性、沉积构造、石英颗粒表面微结构和粒度分布特征研究,对其成因进行了深入探讨。结果表明,古近系寺口子组砂岩由3个成因段构成:段Ⅰ为河流相沉积;段Ⅱ,即砂岩主体,为典型风成砂岩,沉积环境为风成沙丘和丘间地;段Ⅲ,初步推断其为湖相沉积。结合中国古近纪气候背景、研究区域地形条件及古风向,推断寺口子组砂岩主体风成沉积为行星风系控制下的沙漠沉积。     

塔里木盆地古董山地区早二叠世古地磁特征 及其地质意义

通过对塔里木盆地内古董山地区早二叠世玄武岩的古地磁测定,揭示了1组高温特征剩磁分量。实验结果表明,其特征剩磁方向为：Dg=213.7°, Ig=26.9°,κg=19.7, N=9,α95=13.7°; Ds=217.7°, Is=-37.5°, κs=15.4,α95=13.6°,相对应的古地磁极位置为：53.2°N、 187.5°E,A95=12.3°,古纬度为21.0°N。由于采样剖面所获得的早二叠世古地磁结果全部为反极性特征,认为这一高温特征剩磁分量很可能代表了研究区早二叠世时期的原生特征剩磁。对比塔里木地块西北缘早二叠世的古地磁结果,认为研究地区与塔里木地块西北缘之间在古地磁误差范围内并未发生明显的相对构造运动。依据塔里木早二叠世古地磁极与哈萨克斯坦地块同时期古地磁极的一致性,结合二者的古生物资料,提出早二叠世时期塔里木地块可能已经与哈萨克斯坦地块碰撞相连,至晚二叠世,二者之间的海水完全退出,碰撞造山使得天山雏形基本形成。结合前人古地磁研究成果,对塔里木地块及周边主要块体早二叠世的古地理进行了重建。     

中中新世以来阿尔金断裂走滑未造成柴达木盆地整体旋转

通过柴达木盆地南八仙剖面磁性地层学研究,建立了部分上油砂山组磁极性序列,认为该剖面时代为7.5~9.0 Ma。从320块样品的古地磁数据分析,揭示了一组高温特征剩磁分量,在95%置信度下通过倒转检验(B级),说明这组高温分量很可能代表岩石形成时的原生剩磁,其特征剩磁方向为:地理坐标下为D_g=358.5°, I_g=40.5°, k=28.5,α₉₅=4.2,层面坐标下为D_s=1.0°, I_s=41.5°, k=34.0,α₉₅=3.8;相应的极位置为λ_p=75.9°N, φ_p=270.5°E, d_p=2.8°, d_m=4.6°。通过与同时代柴达木盆地及邻区的古地磁极对比,说明中中新世以来柴达木地块整体上没有经历明显旋转运动,阿尔金断裂活动致使肃北等毗邻断裂带地区发生了构造旋转。     

柴达木地块早奥陶世古地理位置的古地磁学约束

柴达木地块早古生代古地理位置和构造归属长期存在争议.前人根据沉积地层和古生物资料认为柴达木地块早奥陶世位于赤道附近的低纬度地区,但是这种定性认识还缺少古地磁学的定量证据.本次研究对柴达木地块欧龙布鲁克地区下奥陶统多泉山组灰岩开展了古地磁学研究,通过系统热退磁获得了8个采点的高温特征剩磁分量,其构造校正后的古地磁平均方向为Ds=345.3°,Is=-14.5°,κs=54.8,α95=7.5°.这一高温特征剩磁分量远离现代地磁场方向,且所有样品的特征剩磁分量均为反极性,其单一反极性特点与全球奥陶纪磁性地层研究确定的早奥陶世反向极性期相吻合,本文认为这一高温特征剩磁分量很可能代表了研究剖面早奥陶世时期的原生剩磁.根据奥陶纪地磁极性特征,确定柴达木地块早奥陶世的古地磁极位置为-43.4°N/116.9°E(dp/dm=3.9°/7.7°),相应的古纬度为7.4°N±5.5°(参考点:37.2°N/96.6°E),表明柴达木地块在早奥陶世位于赤道附近的低纬度位置.综合古生物和沉积学资料,提出柴达木地块早奥陶世可能处于华南地块北部,冈瓦纳古大陆澳大利亚陆块西北的古地理位置.     

羌塘地块西部晚三叠世灰岩古地磁研究及其构造意义

青藏高原羌塘地块和拉萨地块汇聚-碰撞拼合过程的研究对认识青藏高原中部隆升历史及其动力学过程具有重要的科学意义,而羌塘地块古地磁研究对理解上述问题至关重要。通过对羌塘地块西部改则地区晚三叠世灰岩的系统古地磁测定,获得其高温剩磁分量。但是这一高温剩磁分量未通过褶皱检验,表明为后期重磁化的结果。研究剖面高温特征剩磁平均方向在地理坐标下为Dg=349.3°,Ig=40.4°,κg=45.4,α95=6.5°,相应的古地磁极为76.4°N,311.1°E,dp/dm=4.7°/7.9°。这一古地磁极与羌塘地块早白垩世约110～100 Ma的古地磁极在古地磁误差范围内重合,表明其重磁化的时代为早白垩世约110～100 Ma。综合分析羌塘地块和拉萨地块古地磁结果,并结合海相地层、蛇绿岩和洋岛等地质证据,显示班公湖-怒江特提斯洋西段闭合的时间发生在早白垩世晚期约110～100Ma。改则地区晚三叠世灰岩的早白垩世晚期重磁化作用与羌塘/拉萨地块西部的碰撞密切相关。     

龙门山南段二叠系—下三叠统的古地磁研究

为了约束龙门山南段的构造运动特征,文章对龙门山南段大川镇附近的下三叠统飞仙关组淡紫灰色泥岩、粉砂岩和宝兴地区的二叠系灰岩开展了古地磁研究。古地磁样品取自10个采样点,其中3个采点为二叠系灰岩;7个采点为飞仙关组淡紫灰色泥岩、粉砂岩。对样品开展了逐步热退磁、岩石磁学（等温剩磁获得曲线和三轴等温剩磁热退磁）及扫描电镜实验。80个样品进行的逐步热退磁实验结果显示,二叠系灰岩样品未分离出稳定的特征剩磁;飞仙关组样品分离出了稳定的特征剩磁,并通过了广义褶皱检验,其特征剩磁的平均方向为：Ds=36.9°,Is=16.5°,α95=5.9°,K=33.8,N=18,对应的古地磁极投在了华南视极移曲线的早三叠世段附近。岩石磁学实验结果表明飞仙关组样品的载磁矿物为磁铁矿,扫描电镜观察展示其为碎屑状的铁氧化物,且无明显成岩后自生特征。结合退磁曲线特征,扫描电镜微观特征,特征剩磁的古地磁极位置和岩石磁学结果,飞仙关组样品的特征剩磁很可能为原生剩磁。该结果表明龙门山褶皱冲断带与四川盆地的没有明显地相对构造旋转运动,自晚三叠世以来,其与龙门山北段以及四川盆地在动力学上是统一的构造单元。     

宁夏固原古近系寺口子组砂岩成因探讨

宁夏固原寺口子组砂岩是中国古近纪内陆古环境研究的重要载体。通过岩性、沉积构造、石英颗粒表面微结构和粒度分布特征研究,对其成因进行了深入探讨。结果表明,古近系寺口子组砂岩由3个成因段构成:段Ⅰ为河流相沉积;段Ⅱ,即砂岩主体,为典型风成砂岩,沉积环境为风成沙丘和丘间地;段Ⅲ,初步推断其为湖相沉积。结合中国古近纪气候背景、研究区域地形条件及古风向,推断寺口子组砂岩主体风成沉积为行星风系控制下的沙漠沉积。     

青藏高原羌塘盆地晚三叠世古地磁数据及其构造意义

羌塘盆地作为青藏高原主要的地体之一,其中生代的地质演化对于研究古特提斯洋关闭和冈瓦纳大陆解体都具有重要的指示意义。为查明羌塘盆地中生代的演化过程,在南、北羌塘坳陷上三叠统扎拉组和土门格拉组地层中共采集200余件砂岩样品进行古地磁对比研究。热退磁实验显示,大部分样品均含有两个磁组分,并揭示出一组高温特征剩磁分量,在95%置信度下通过正倒转检验和正褶皱检验,说明这组高温分量很可能代表岩石形成时的原生剩磁。南、北羌塘坳陷中样品的平均特征剩磁方向分别为D/I=28°/45.5°(a₉₅＝3.6°)和D/I=35.3°/46.5°(a₉₅＝4.0°);其相近的古地磁极和古纬度表明,南、北羌塘在晚三叠世已经属于一个统一的地块,并且具有北纬27°的古纬度。再结合前人研究成果发现,羌塘盆地晚古生代位于南半球中纬度地区,晚二叠世时已靠近赤道,并逐渐从冈瓦纳大陆北缘裂解开来向北漂移。羌塘盆地与塔里木地块在晚三叠世实现了碰撞拼合;中白垩世时,又与拉萨地块完成了板块碰撞。至此,羌塘盆地与周缘各地块基本上完成了碰撞拼合。     

Paleomagnetism and rock magnetism of the Neoproterozoic Itajaí Basin of the Rio de la Plata craton (Brazil): Cambrian to Cretaceous widespread remagnetizations of South America

A detailed rock magnetic and paleomagnetic study was performed on samples from the Neoproterozoic Itajaí Basin in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in order to better constrain the paleogeographic evolution of the Rio de la Plata craton between 600 and 550 Ma. However, rock magnetic properties typical of remagnetized rocks and negative response in the fold test indicated that these rocks carried a secondary chemical remanent magnetization. After detailed AF and thermal cleaning, almost all samples showed a normal polarity characteristic remanent magnetization component close to the present geomagnetic field. The main magnetic carriers are magnetite and hematite, probably of authigenic origin. The mean paleomagnetic pole of the Itajaí Basin is located at Plat = − 84°, Plong = 97.5° (A95 = 2°) and overlaps the lower Cretaceous segment of the apparent polar wander path of South America, suggesting a cause and effect with the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. A compilation of remagnetized paleomagnetic poles from South America is presented that highlights the superposition of several large-scale remagnetization events between the Cambrian and the Cretaceous. It is suggested that some paleomagnetic poles used to calibrate the APWP of Gondwana at Precambrian times need to be revised; the indication of remagnetized areas in southern South America may offer some help in the selection of sites for future paleomagnetic investigations in Precambrian rocks.     

Combined paleomagnetic and geochronological study on Cretaceous strata of the Qiangtang terrane,central Tibet

A combined paleomagnetic and geochronological investigation has been performed on Cretaceous rocks in southern Qiangtang terrane (32.5°N, 84.3°E), near Gerze, central Tibetan Plateau. A total of 14 sites of volcanic rocks and 22 sites of red beds have been sampled. Our new U–Pb geochronologic study of zircons dates the volcanic rocks at 103.8 ± 0.46 Ma (Early Cretaceous) while the red beds belong to the Late Cretaceous. Rock magnetic experiments suggest that magnetite and hematite are the main magnetic carriers. After removing a low temperature component of viscous magnetic remanence, stable characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) was isolated successfully from all the sites by stepwise thermal demagnetization. The tilt-corrected mean direction from the 14 lava sites is D = 348.0°, I = 47.3°, k = 51.0, α₉₅ = 5.6°, corresponding to a paleopole at 79.3°N, 339.8°E, A₉₅ = 5.7° and yielding a paleolatitude of 29.3° ± 5.7°N for the study area. The ChRM directions isolated from the volcanic rocks pass a fold test at 95% confidence, suggesting a primary origin. The volcanic data appear to have effectively averaged out secular variation as indicated by both geological evidence and results from analyzing the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) scatter. The mean inclination from the Late Cretaceous red beds, however, is 13.1° shallower than that of the ~ 100 Ma volcanic rocks. After performing an elongation/inclination analysis on 174 samples of the red beds, a mean inclination of 47.9° with 95% confidence limits between 41.9° and 54.3° is obtained, which is consistent with the mean inclination of the volcanic rocks. The site-mean direction of the Late Cretaceous red beds after tilt-correction and inclination shallowing correction is D = 312.6°, I = 47.7°, k = 109.7, α₉₅ = 3.0°, N = 22 sites, corresponding to a paleopole at 49.2°N, 1.9°E, A₉₅ = 3.2° (yielding a paleolatitude of 28.7° ± 3.2°N for the study area). The ChRM of the red beds also passes a fold test at 99% confidence, indicating a primary origin. Comparing the paleolatitude of the Qiangtang terrane with the stable Asia, there is no significant difference between our sampling location in the southern Qiangtang terrane and the stable Asia during ~ 100 Ma and Late Cretaceous. Our results together with the high quality data previously published suggest that an ~ 550 km N–S convergence between the Qiangtang and Lhasa terranes happened after ~ 100 Ma. Comparison of the mean directions with expected directions from the stable Asia indicates that the Gerze area had experienced a significant counterclockwise rotation after ~ 100 Ma, which is most likely caused by the India–Asia collision.     

Paleomagnetic study of the Messejana Plasencia dyke (Portugal and Spain): A lower Jurassic paleopole for the Iberian plate

The only Iberian lower Jurassic paleomagnetic pole come from the “Central Atlantic Magmatic Province”-related Messejana Plasencia dyke, but the age and origin of its remanence have been a matter of discussion. With the aim of solving this uncertainty, and to go further into a better understanding of its emplacement and other possible tectonic features, a systematic paleomagnetic investigation of 40 sites (625 specimens) distributed all along the 530 km of the Messejana Plasencia dyke has been carried out. Rock magnetic experiments indicate PSD low Ti-titanomagnetite and magnetite as the minerals carrying the NRM. The samples were mostly thermally demagnetized. Most sites exhibit a characteristic remanent component of normal polarity with the exception of two sites, where samples with reversed polarities have been observed. The paleomagnetic pole derived from a total of 35 valid sites is representative of the whole structure of the dyke, and statistically well defined, with values of PLa = 70.4°N, PLo = 237.6°E, K = 47.9 and A₉₅ = 3.5°. Paleomagnetic data indicates that: (i) there is no evidence of a Cretaceous remagnetization in the dyke, as it was suggested; (ii) most of the dyke had a brief emplacement time; furthermore, two dyke intrusion events separated in time from it by at least 10,000 y have been detected; (iii) the high grouping of the VGPs directions suggests no important tectonic perturbations of the whole structure of the dyke since its intrusion time; (iv) the pole derived from this study is a good quality lower Jurassic paleopole for the Iberian plate; and (v) the Messejana Plasencia dyke paleopole for the Iberian plate is also in agreement with quality-selected European and North American lower Jurassic paleopoles and the magnetic anomalies data sets that are available for rotate them to Iberia.     

内蒙古中部晚石炭世—早二叠世古地磁新数据及其地质意义

对采自内蒙古苏尼特左旗白音乌拉乡晚石炭世—早二叠世宝力高庙组和敖汉旗安庆沟乡晚石炭世酒局子组的凝灰岩和凝灰质砂岩开展了古地磁学研究。宝力高庙组和酒局子组样品退磁特征表明,高温剩磁分量均以赤铁矿为主要载磁矿物,可能携带了岩石形成时期的特征剩磁分量。层面校正后2个组平均特征剩磁分量分别为:D=159.3°,I=-33.1°,α95=8.7°;D=328.8°,I=31.3°,α95=5.7°。这反映了内蒙古中部晚石炭世—早二叠世位于北纬17°—18°N。将所获得的古地磁结果与已发表的相邻地区古地磁数据进行比较,并结合古生物、古气候等地质数据,推测晚石炭世—早二叠世时内蒙古中部与华北地块关系密切,距离较近,而远离西伯利亚地块,内蒙古中部晚石炭世—早二叠世时可能是华北地块的组成部分。     

Triassic paleomagnetism from the Western Pyrenees revisited: implications for the Iberian–Eurasian Mesozoic plate boundary

Since the pioneering studies of Van der Voo [Tectonophysics 7 (1969) 5] and Van der Voo and Boessenkool [J. Geophys. Res. 78 (1973) 5118], paleomagnetism of Permo-Triassic redbeds and volcanics from the Western Pyrenees has furnished important contributions for delineating the Mesozoic boundary between the Iberian and Eurasian plates. In this paper, we present a new paleomagnetic study focussed on Triassic red beds (23 sites) of the Paleozoic Basque Massifs (PBM). The aim of this study is to complement previous studies done in those massifs to better constrain the complex kinematics of the Western Pyrenees. Two stable magnetic components have been isolated: (1) a dual polarity, pre-folding magnetisation carried by specular hematite; and (2) a secondary, normal polarity component also carried by hematite. Our data confirm both the origin and the rotation pattern of the primary remanence described in previous works. Nevertheless, field tests performed on the secondary component do not confirm the earlier interpretations by Schott and Peres [Tectonophysics 156 (1988) 75] as they indicate a synfolding nature of the remagnetisation instead of a post-folding origin. We consider that the secondary component is better explained if a Cretaceous age is considered. The presence of such remagnetisation in the western Pyrenees strengthens the widespread occurrence of similar remagnetisation events reported in northern Iberia in connection with the extensional tectonic events that occurred during Cretaceous times. A comparison of the rotations recorded by the Triassic component and by the remagnetisation indicate that the Paleozoic units underwent variable tectonic rotations before the remagnetisation was acquired, most likely in connection with the counterclockwise rotation of Iberia with respect to Eurasia. These results favour that the Mesozoic plate boundary between the Iberian and Eurasian plates was a wide domain of distributed deformation and therefore contradict previous interpretations claiming for a discrete plate boundary.     

红粘土的磁学性质研究

本文对陕西宝鸡剖面红粘土上部进行了详细的岩石磁学研究，确定了该地区红粘土的主要磁性矿物是磁铁矿。赤铁矿相对含量很少，对剩余磁性贡献较小。磁性质不稳定的磁赤铁矿存在于红粘土中，但不影响剩磁稳定性。特征剩磁载体主要是磁铁矿。磁性矿物的粒度是以准单畴为主。红粘土的短时间弛豫粘滞剩磁很强，因此在零磁空间进行退磁和剩磁测量是非常重要的。     

First report of coupled Early Permian paleomagnetic and geochronologic data from the Dunhuang block (NW China), and implications for the tectonic evolution of the Paleo-Asian ocean

In order to better understand the tectonic relationship between the Dunhuang block (DHB) and its adjacent blocks, and to constrain the timing of the closure of the Paleo-Asian ocean, a combined geochronologic and paleomagnetic investigation has been undertaken on Early Permian tuff, basalt flows and sandstones from the Shuangbaotang Formation in the northwestern part of the DHB. U-Pb zircon dating indicates that the age of the strata is between 280.6 ± 2.9 Ma and 291.4 ± 2.6 Ma. Thermal demagnetization of a three-component isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM), and Curie point experiment suggest that magnetite dominates in the rock samples analyzed. In addition, there is a minor amount of hematite in some sandstones. Stepwise thermal demagnetization successfully isolated stable characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM) from 11 tuff layers, two lava flows and nine sandstone beds. Two components were isolated from all samples: a lower temperature component (LTC) and a higher temperature component (HTC). The LTC is near the direction of the present-day geomagnetic field and produced a negative fold test, indicating it is a viscous remanent magnetization in the present-day geomagnetic field. Most of the HTC are reverse polarity (Normal = 4, reverse = 158), which is in accordance with the Kiaman Reversed Superchron that spans the Late Carboniferous-Permian interval. In addition, the HTC of all studied sites passed the fold and reverse tests, suggesting that they likely represent primary remanent magnetization. The tilt-corrected mean direction from all sites (tuff, basalts and sandstones) is D_s = 1.7°, I_s = 43.1°, k_s = 403, α₉₅ = 1.5°, N = 22. The mean paleopole of the site-mean direction-corresponded VGPs lies at 74.5°N, 268.5°E with A₉₅ = 1.6°. Considering the consistent inclination values recorded among the studied tuff, basalts and sandstones, and the low degrees of anisotropy within all samples, we suggest that there is no significant inclination shallowing caused by depositional compaction in the sedimentary layers of the studied section. Taking into account the results from this study as well as previous Late Paleozoic paleomagentic studies from adjacent tectonic blocks, we conclude that the DHB formed part of the amalgamated Dunhuang-North China-Alxa-Qaidam mega-block during the Early Permian, but was separated from the Tarim block by a small ocean (here named the Qiemo-Xingxingxia paleo-ocean) at this time. A comparison of the Early Permian paleolatitudes of these and other adjacent blocks suggest that the Paleo-Asian ocean (sensu lato) was still open at this time. Combined with other geological evidence, a paleogeographic reconstruction of the Paleo-Asian ocean has been reconstructed for the Early Permian.     

Paleomagnetism of the Esterel rocks: a revisit 22 years after the thesis of Hans Zijderveld

For his PhD. thesis, Zijderveld (1975) studied the paleomagnetism of the Permian Esterel rocks (southern France). High-quality thermal and alternating-field demagnetization diagrams were interpreted to determine the direction of the characteristic natural magnetization. For the Esterel volcanics, a mean direction of Dec = 206.5°, Inc = –23°, ₉₅ = 5.7°, k = 112 was found for this magnetization. The dispersion in this mean is remarkably low. Only the declination of the Reyran Rhyolite in the Reyran River quarry clearly deviated from this mean. This deviating direction is not found in our samples, taken at the same site. As many faults occur in this quarry, it is suggested that Zijderveld sampled this rhyolite on a small rotated block. To verify whether the small dispersion in the mean paleomagnetic direction of the Esterel rocks has a geomagnetic or a rock-magnetic origin, two conglomerate tests were carried out. One of these might be interpreted as positive. The results of the other conglomerate test (Agay Formation) are ambiguous: four of the six measured boulders show directions close to the mean paleomagnetic direction of the Esterel rocks. Rock-magnetic measurements show that the remanence is carried by a magnetite and a hematite fraction. The low dispersion in the paleomagnetic directions, the conglomerate tests, and hematite as remanence carrier suggest that the characteristic remanence in the Esterel volcanics was not instantaneously acquired during cooling, but might be affected by remagnetization due to weathering.