Magnetic record of El Niño Southern Oscillation in Late Pleistocene sediments from Mucubají lake (western Venezuela)

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an internal forcing of the climate system. This event has an actual frequency of 2 to 8 years. Evidence from a paleoclimate proxy database of gray scale (GS), in samples from Pallcacocha lake in Ecuador, indicates that the ENSO had a frequency of 35 to 75 years during the Late Pleistocene. In this work we explored the possible relationship between the ENSO proxies (GS) from Pallcacocha and magnetic parameters from sediments sampled at the Mucubají lake in Mérida, Venezuela (i.e. mass-specific magnetic susceptibility, magnetic remanence S ratio and susceptibilitynormalized saturation isothermal remanent magnetization). After applying a Lanczos bandpass filter to the rock magnetic and the GS data, in order to remove, as much as possible, frequencies associated to any periodic event other than ENSO, we found significant correlations between GS and magnetic parameters for the period between 12450 and 10560 cal. yrs BP. These relationships were obtained using an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), a hybrid algorithm that combines fuzzy logic with neural networks. The results show that the magnetic parameters obtained in Mucubají are able to explain 50.5% of the total variance of the ENSO proxy in a range of 35 to 75 years in Pallcacocha, which is roughly the same percentage of the total variance of the temperature in the Venezuelan Andes, explained by the ENSO at present times. In this way we have inferred a possible influence of the ENSO in the Venezuelan Andes during the Late Pleistocene.     

Magnetic signature of different vegetation species in polluted environment

Detailed magnetic study on vegetation samples from several strongly polluted and clean sites in Bulgaria is carried out in order to evaluate suitability of different species as passive dust collectors in magnetometry. From each location, available species among lichens, mosses, poplar leaves, dandelion, needles have been sampled. Magnetic susceptibility calculated on mass-specific basis shows wide variability between diamagnetic signal up to 846 × 10⁻⁸ m³/kg. Lichens and mosses are found to be the species, showing magnetic signals with the strongest contrast between clean and polluted environment. The main magnetic phase is magnetite-like according to the results from thermomagnetic analysis of susceptibility on magnetic extracts. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microphotographs reveal the presence of abundant particulate matter on vegetation surface both with anthropogenic (spherules) and lithogenic origin. Magnetic grain size deduced by the ratio of saturation remanent magnetization (SIRM) and mass-specific magnetic susceptibility (χ) and coercivities (B_c and B_cr) suggest that different species accumulate preferentially small SD-like grains from pollution emissions. Contrasting relationship of the ratio of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and χ for polluted vs clean sites deduced by needles and lichens may be related to transformation of the accumulated dust particles within lichens’ tissue. This finding indicates that the exact species used as biological dust collector is of importance when studying spatial grain size distribution of magnetic dust particles. Pilot study on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content and its relation to magnetic parameters shows good correspondence between high levels of PAHs and high SIRM values for locations affected by non-ferrous industrial production.     

Relative paleointensity of the geomagnetic field during the past 200 ka from the West Philippine Sea and its chronological significance

Our rock magnetic analysis of core Ph05 from the West Philippine Sea demonstrates that the core preserves a strong, stable remanent magnetization and meets the magnetic mineral criteria for relative paleointensity (RPI) analyses. The magnetic minerals in the sequence are dominated by pseudosingle-domain magnetite, and the concentration of magnetic minerals is at the same scale. Both the conventional normalizing method and the pseudo-Thellier method were used in conjunction with the examination of the rock magnetic properties and natural remanent magnetization. Susceptibility (χ), anhysteretic remnant magnetization (ARM) and saturation isothermal remnant magnetization (SIRM) were used as the natural remanent magnetization normalizer. However, coherence analysis indicated that only ARM is more suitable for paleointensity reconstruction. The age model of core is established based on oxygen isotope data and AMS¹⁴C data, which is consistent with the age model estimated from RPI records. The relative paleointensity data provide a continuous record of the intensity variation during the last 200 ka, which correlates well with the global references RPI stacks. Several prominent low paleointensity values are identified and are correlated to the main RPI minima in the SINT-200 record, suggesting that the sediments have recorded the real changes of geomagnetic field. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 90411014) and Pilot Project of the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX2-YW-211)     

Heavy metal release by peat erosion in the Peak District,southern Pennines,UK

Upper North Grain (UNG) is a heavily eroding blanket peat catchment in the Peak District, southern Pennines, UK. Concentrations of lead in the near‐surface peat layer at UNG are in excess of 1000 mg kg⁻¹. For peatland environments, these lead concentrations are some of the highest globally. High concentrations of industrially derived, atmospherically transported magnetic spherules are also stored in the near‐surface peat layer. Samples of suspended sediment taken during a storm event that occurred on 1 November 2002 at UNG, and of the potential catchment sources for suspended sediments, were analysed for lead content and the environmental magnetic properties of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM). At the beginning of the storm event, there is a peak in both suspended sediment and associated lead concentration. SIRM/ARM values for suspended sediment samples throughout the storm reveal that the initial ‘lead flush’ is associated with a specific sediment source, namely that of organic sediment eroded from the upper peat layer. Using the magnetic ‘fingerprinting’ approach to discrimination of sediment sources, this study reveals that erosion of the upper peat layer at UNG is releasing high concentrations of industrially derived lead (and, by inference, other toxic heavy metals associated with industrial particulates) into the fluvial systems of the southern Pennines. Climate‐change scenarios for the UK, involving higher summer temperatures and stormier winters, may result in an increased flux both of sediment‐associated and dissolved heavy metals from eroding peatland catchments in the southern Pennines, adversely affecting the quality of sediment and water entering reservoirs of the region. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative study on magnetic minerals of tidal flat deposits from different sediment sources in Jiangsu coast,Eastern China

Understanding the sources of sediments deposited in tidal flats is critical for reconstructing the evolution of coastal regions impacted by large rivers. Environmental magnetism can be an effective tool to track sediment sources and analyze the sediment properties. We evaluate several magnetic parameters from the tidal flat sediments along the Jiangsu coast. The results show that the sediments of Liandao Island have the lowest values of magnetic susceptibility (χ), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and saturation isothermal remanence magnetization (SIRM). In addition to these, the values of χ, ARM and SIRM display a generally increasing trend from the north to the south along the Jiangsu coast. The strong relations between χ, ARM and SIRM show that the changes of magnetization of the tidal flat sediments mainly reflect the changes of concentration rather than those in grain sizes of magnetic particles. The main magnetic phase is magnetite, with a small amount of hematite. The strong relationship between χ and the 2-16 μm grain-size fraction suggests that magnetite is enriched in the finer silt fraction. The sediment sources is the main factor that influences the magnetic properties of the tidal flat sediments from the Jiangsu coast. Combined with the previous studies, the results indicate that the tidal flat sediments of Liandao Island were mainly derived from the nearshore rock weathering. The Yellow River is the dominant supplier for the north of Dafeng, while the Yangtze River is the dominant supplier for the south of Rudong. The coast between Dafeng and Rudong is a transition zone influenced by both rivers. This study provides a basis against which possible future variations in sediment composition resulting from catchment changes can be assessed.     

Magnetic enhancement in wildfire‐affected soil and its potential for sediment‐source ascription

Intense rainfall following wildfire can cause substantial soil and sediment redistribution. With concern for the increasing magnitude and frequency of wildfire events, research needs to focus on hydrogeomorphological impacts of fire, particularly downstream fluxes of sediment and nutrients. Here, we investigate variation in magnetic enhancement of soil by fire in burnt eucalypt forest slopes to explore its potential as a post‐fire sediment tracer. Low‐frequency magnetic susceptibility values (χ_lf) of <10 µm material sourced from burnt slopes (c. 8·0–10·4 × 10^?6 m³ kg^?1) are an order of magnitude greater than those of <10 µm material derived from long‐unburnt areas (0·8 × 10^?6 m³ kg^?1). Susceptibility of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (χARM) and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) values are similarly enhanced. Signatures are strongly influenced by soil and sediment particle size and storage of previously burnt material in footslope areas. Whilst observations indicate that signatures based on magnetic enhancement show promise for post‐fire sediment tracing, problems arise with the lack of dimensionality in such data. Magnetic grain size indicators χ_fd%, χARM/SIRM and χ_fd/χARM offer further discrimination of source material but cannot be included in numerical unmixing models owing to non‐linear additivity. This leads to complications in quantitatively ascribing downstream sediment to source areas of contrasting burn severity since sources represent numerical multiples of each other, indicating the need to involve additional indicators, such as geochemical evidence, to allow a more robust discrimination. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of the paleomagnetic record to environmental changes in the late Pleistocene

During revisiting the Upper Pleistocene Pekla loess-soil section located on the Sea of Azov coast of the Taman Peninsula, its lower 6 m were continuously sampled, which led to an increase in the age range from ∼50 to 400 ka. The detailed rock magnetic study of the structure, grain-size, and concentrations of magnetic mineral (natural remanent magnetization (NRM) carrier) in the collected rock samples revealed regular changes in rock magnetic characteristics along the section and their correlation with climatic fluctuations. Magnetite and hematite both deposited during the transport of sedimentary material and formed during pedogenesis, which involved the entire section to a varying extent, represent the main magnetic minerals in the examined rocks. Automorphic paleosoils that were formed during warm and humid periods corresponding to odd stages of the MIS scale are characterized by elevated concentrations of magnetic mineral (NRM, magnetic susceptibility (K _lf), saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), and anhysteresis (ideal) remanent magnetization (ARM)) parameters and share of superparamagnetic particles (up to 80%, according to elevated values of the frequency-dependent magnetic susceptibility K _td) as well as by lowered rigidity parameter (B _cr) and grain size (ARM/K parameter). Such changes in the paleosoils may be explained by the occurrence of newly formed fine-grained magnetite particles close in size to its superparamagnetic and single-domain varieties due to the activation of bio/geochemical processes during warm stages. The growth of the above-mentioned rock magnetic parameters in automorphic soils may be considered as serving a quantitative criterion for defining the boundary between warm and cold periods even in poorly developed soils.     

亚热带富铁土的磁学性质及其磁性矿物学

通过５５个亚热带富铁土的磁化率（χ）、频率磁化率(χ_ｆｄ)、非滞后剩磁（ＡＲＭ）和饱 和等温剩磁（ＳＩＲＭ）等磁性参数测定,结合氧化铁化学形态分析和矿物鉴定,初步明确了亚热 带富铁土的磁学特征及其磁性矿物．磁测数据表明富铁土中存在强磁性的矿物,其磁化率χ 与土壤游离氧化铁（Ｆｅ_ｄ）含量呈极显著指数正相关（Ｒ^２＝０．５９７１）,频率磁化率χ_ｆｄ与土壤游离氧 化铁含量呈极显著直线正相关（Ｒ^２＝０．４２８９）．富铁土的χ_ｆｄ和非滞后磁化率χ_ＡＲＭ。值表明土壤 中的磁性矿物以超顺磁性（ＳＰ）和稳定单畴（ＳＳＤ）颗粒为主,富铁上的χ和χ_ＡＲＭ呈极显著直线 正相关（Ｒ^＝ ０．９４２９）,证明富铁土的磁性是由风化成土过程产生的 ＳＰ和 ＳＳＤ磁性颗粒贡献 的．矿物磁测结合Ｘ－衍射证明富铁土中的氧化铁矿物由赤铁矿、磁赤铁矿和针铁矿组成。     

Development of a magnetic method for reconstructing the paleoclimate of the rock formation time: A case study of the Paleolithic Kostenki-12 site section (the Voronezh region)

A magnetic method is proposed for reconstructing the paleoclimate existing at the formation time of rocks of the Paleolithic Kostenki-12 site section. Results obtained from an experimental study of scalar magnetic characteristics (SMCs) of the rocks (magnetic susceptibility, anhysteretic remanent magnetization, and saturation isothermal remanent magnetization) are presented. These results indicate complex along-section SMC behavior distinguished by alternating larger and smaller values of the parameters. The magnetic minerals of the section are mainly represented by pseudo-single-domain magnetite grains. The size of the magnetite grains in the pseudo-single-domain range varies along the section, increasing in its lower half. The SMCs values plotted on different scales for the upper and lower halves of the section clearly revealed 12 magnetic zones (MZs). Comparison of the MZs with palynological zones obtained in a parallel section showed, on the whole, a convergence of data: MZs with larger (smaller) SMC values correlate with thermomers (cryomers). Comparison of along-section SMC variations with the GRIP (Greenland Ice Core Project) curve of the time dependence of paleotemperatures confirmed or refined the ages of lithologic horizons. As a result, it is established that constraints on paleoclimatic changes in the rock formation time can be gained from SMC variations if the main carriers of magnetization in rocks are pseudo-single-domain magnetite grains even with magnetic grain size varying along the section.     

Mineral magnetic variation of the Jingbian loess/paleosol sequence in the northern Loess Plateau of China: Implications for Quaternary development of Asian aridification and cooling

A high-resolution mineral magnetic investigation has been carried out on the Jingbian loess/paleosol sequence at the northern extremity of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Results show that the magnetic assemblage is dominated by large pseudo-single domain and multidomain-like magnetite with associated maghemite and hematite. Variations in the ratios of SIRM_100mT/SIRM, SIRM_100mT/SIRM_30mT and SIRM_100mT/SIRM_60mT (SIRM is the saturation isothermal remanent magnetization; SIRM_nmT represents the residual SIRM after an n mT alternating field demagnetization) have been used to document regional paleoclimate change in the Asian interior by correlating the mineral magnetic record with the composite δ¹⁸O record in deep-sea sediments. The long-term up-section decreasing trend in those ratios in both loess and paleosol units has been attributed to a long-term decrease in the relative contributions of eolian hematite during glacial extrema and of pedogenic hematite during interglacial extrema, respectively, which reveals a long-term decreasing trend in chemical weathering intensity in both glacial-stage source region (the Gobi and deserts in northwestern China) and interglacial-stage depositional area (the Loess Plateau region). We further relate this long-timescale variation to long-term increasing aridification and cooling, during both glacial extrema in the dust source region and interglacial extrema in the depositional area, over the Quaternary period. Changes in those ratios are most likely due to Quaternary aridification and cooling driven by ongoing global cooling, expansion of the Arctic ice-sheet, and progressive uplift of the Himalayan–Tibetan complex during this period.     

Rock magnetic properties of Nihewan sediments at Xujiayao

Rock magnetic measurements of Nihewan sediments from Xujiayao section demonstrate that magnetite, hematite and maghemite are dominant remanent magnetization carriers. Monitoring the variations of magnetic susceptibility (MS) and saturating isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM) at low temperature are the attractive ways of detecting the presence of magnetite, maghemitization and superparamagnetic grain sizes. Low-temperature MS investigations suggest that susceptibility enhancement for Xujiayao samples is mainly due to the remarkable presence of SD/MD magnetite to some degree though some magnetite grains have been partially oxidized at some depths. It is tentatively concluded that both SD/MD magnetite and hematite are of detrital origin and carry a characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM), whereas maghemite can be attributed to be chemical origin, overprinting a reversed polarity component of Matuyama age.     

Magnetic properties of two soil profiles from Yan’an,Shaanxi Province and their implications for paleorainfall reconstruction

The physical and chemical properties of soils are closely controlled by the climate factors and thus are significant for paleoclimate reconstruction.In this study,two adjacent soil profiles(LP and LPM) with different slopes from Yan'an,Shaanxi Province,were investigated using magnetic methods to determine the impact of topography on magnetic properties of soil.Our results show that although LP and LPM have similar magnetic minerals and grain size distribution,both the average and maximum magnetic susceptibility(x) of LP are almost doubled compared to those of LPM.In addition,the ratios of susceptibility enhancement to the background(Ex) for LP and LPM are 2.27 and 2.04,respectively;the ratios of saturation isothermal remnant magnetization(SIRM) enhancement(ESIRM) for these two profiles are 1.80 and 1.86,respectively.The slopes of the linear regression trends between frequency-dependent susceptibility(χFD) and "hard" isothermal remnant magnetization(HIRM)(χFD/HIRM),Anhysteretic remnant magnetization(ARM) and HIRM(ARM/HIRM),are almost free from the effect of parent material.χFD/HIRMs for LP and LPM are 28.7×10x5 and 28.9×10x5 A mx1,respectively;ARM/HIRMs are 0.35 and 0.33 for LP and LPM,respectively.These results demonstrate that parameters,χFD/HIRM,ARM/HIRM,Ex and ESIRM,are affected less by parent material and topography,which are better than the x for bulk samples to indicate the paleoclimatic conditions(e.g.,the paleorainfall) in a large-scale region.     

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.     

ARM,TRM and magnetic interactions: Concentration dependence

ARM (anhysteretic remanence)/SIRM (saturation isothermal remanence) and TRM (thermoremanence)/SIRM were measured as a function of the concentration (volume fraction) of single-domain magnetite (3 × 10^?6 ? C ? 2 × 10^?2), ARM/SIRM increases with decreasing concentration, showing that there is magnetic interaction between fine particles. The role of magnetic interaction in TRM acquisition is also important at higher concentrations of magnetite (C ? 0.1%), where the value of TRM/SIRM increases with decreasing concentration. It is only for concentrations ofC ? 0.1% that the value of TRM/SIRM is fairly constant and interactions among magnetite grains seem to be ignored. The ratio TRM/ARM decreases from seven to almost unity as the concentration of magnetite decreases.     

Magnetic properties and heavy metal pollution of soils in the vicinity of a cement plant,Xuzhou (China)

This study characterized the magnetic property and levels of heavy metals of the topsoils near a cement plant. The concentrations of five selected heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd) were measured on 32 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) collected near a cement plant via inductively coupled plasma/mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). The orders of enrichment factors (EF), on average, were Cd (7.3) > Cu (3) > Zn (2.9) > Pb (2.1), respectively. A self-organizing map (SOM) was applied to the concentrations of heavy metals for “correlation hunting”. Mineral magnetic concentration parameters, such as the specific magnetic susceptibility (χ), susceptibility of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (χ_ARM), saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), together with interparametric ratios (such as IRM_− 100mT/SIRM, SIRM/χ, χ_ARM/SIRM) show that ferrimagnetic, superparamagnetic (SP) and multi-domain (MD) minerals dominated the soils. The results of correlation analysis indicate that copper showed a significant correlation with χ, χ_ARM and SIRM but such a relationship with χ, χ_ARM and SIRM was only weakly identified for Zn, Cd and Pb.     

大荔人遗址黄土-古土壤剖面岩石磁学性质研究

自从大荔人化石被发现以来,其遗址剖面便成为研究热点.先前的研究主要集中在地层的对比划分与头盖骨年龄的推断方面,然而对于载磁矿物的鉴定及其古气候含义方面的研究却相对较少.鉴于此,本文运用热磁分析、饱和等温剩磁和剩磁矫顽力谱分析、磁滞回线分析、频率磁化率分析、热退磁分析等方法,对大荔人遗址剖面进行了系统的岩石磁学性质研究,鉴定出其主要载磁矿物为磁铁矿,赤铁矿,磁赤铁矿,磁畴状态主要是似单畴.磁铁矿,赤铁矿是样品中特征剩磁的携带者;主要起源于成土作用的超顺磁颗粒和新生成的亚铁磁性矿物,是古土壤样品磁化率增强的主要贡献者;古土壤中软磁性矿物的含量高于黄土.样品中磁赤铁矿的含量并不高.黄土-古土壤样品的频率磁化率曲线,古里雅冰芯氧同位素、细微粒浓度曲线,岐山五里铺剖面有机质含量曲线在古气候记录方面具有一致性,都展示出至少从MIS5以来,气候从冰期到间冰期的变化是渐变的,反之则表现了突变特征.上述岩石磁学研究丰富了大荔剖面的磁学领域研究内容,为相关课题的深入研究提供了依据.     

中国东部红土的磁性及其环境意义

通过中国东部红土剖面的环境磁学参数（磁化率、频率磁化率、非磁滞剩磁、饱和等温剩磁等）测量,获得了红土剖面磁性矿物浓度、粒度和类型等特性随深度的变化曲线以及红土经连二亚硫酸钠一柠檬酸钠一重碳酸钠溶液（ＤＣＢ）处理后的磁性参数变化．根据红土剖面环境磁学参数及其磁参数比值的变化可将红土分为３个层段,各层段的磁性矿物特征存在明显的差异．证实了红土剖面中的磁性载体主要是磁赤铁矿、赤铁矿和针铁矿,并分离出了球粒状磁颗粒．认为红土磁性矿物的数量、粒度、类型等的变异指示了其形成时的环境特征,其频率磁化率和ＤＣＢ处理的磁化率损失量指示了红土成壤化作用的强弱,可作为在红壤区研究过去全球变化的一种新途径．     

Contribution of rock magnetism to stratigraphy and palaeoenvironment of the Karaïn cave infill,Antalya, Turkey

The magnetic properties of the infill of the Karaïn cave in Turkey were compared to the results of a sedimentological study on three longitudinal sections. The sediments of this site, namely cavity E, cover a period of ca. 500 ka and correspond to a large part of the Middle and Upper Pleistocene. The evolution observed for the various magnetic parameters is mainly related to climatic changes which followed one another during the infilling history of the cave. Two preconditions are necessary to understand the environmental magnetism, namely both the identification and the quantification of different magnetic phases (components) in the sediments, expressed by the ratio of the various magnetic parameters and the analysis of the magnetization curves. The results obtained through the study of the different magnetic parameters (low-field initial bulk (κ_lf) and mass (χ_lf) magnetic susceptibility, frequency dependence of the magnetic susceptibility (χ_fd), anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), hysteresis parameters, anhysteretic susceptibility, ...) on 171 samples allowed us: 1 — to follow the nature, size and source of the grains at each level, and 2 — to identify six alternating levels, having different magnetic susceptibility signatures during warm, damp periods, in which the contribution of prehistorical hominidae (Homo Sapiens or Homo Neandertalensis) and animals, could have modified the original sedimentary structures.This study, in agreement with the sedimentological results, suggests a significant difference between sandy or sandy-silty levels (3 and 5) and those rich in clays and concretions. The sandy or sandy-silty levels are mainly characterized by a low amount of antiferromagnetic type grains, likely goethite and hematite, dominated by single-domain size (SD) and a small content of ferrimagnetic type grains, likely magnetite of multidomain size (MD), inherited from the host rock. Antiferromagnetic grains did not develop and were a priori drifted by the wind. They could be contemporaneous with a cold climate.The clays and clayey-silty levels are characterized by a large amount of superparamagnetic (SP) and SD grains, and a high content of low coercivity magnetic grains (magnetite, maghemite and Ti-magnetite). The saturation remanent magnetization (SIRM) of clayey levels is 5 to 10 times higher than that of sandy levels. The clayey levels are contemporaneous with a humid climate, which favoured the formation of secondary iron oxides, of stalagmitic floors and calcite concretions and of the emplacement of local pedogenesis phenomena, mainly at the top of the infill, i.e. in Level 6.     

Paleosecular variations 12–20 Kyr as recorded by sediments from Lake Moreno (Southern Argentina)

We present results of paleomagnetic and sedimentological studies carried out on three cores Lmor1, Lmo98-1, Lmor98-2 from bottom sediments of Lake Moreno (south-western Argentina), and integrate them with data from our previous studies. Measurements of directions (declination D and inclination I) and mass specific intensity of natural remanent magnetization (NRM intensity), magnetic susceptibility (specific, χ and volumetric, κ), isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM), saturation of isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), and back field remanent coercivity (B_0CR) were performed. The stability of the NRM was investigated using alternating-field demagnetization. The results show that these sediments meet the criteria required to construct a reliable paleomagnetic record. The cores were correlated very well based on magnetic parameters, such as χ and NRM intensity, as well as with lithological features. Tephra layers were identified from the lithological profiles and magnetic susceptibility logs. We obtained the D and I logs of the characteristic remanent magnetization for the cores as a function of shortened depth. The data from the three cores were combined to form a composite record using the Fisher method. A comparison between stacked inclination and declination records of Lake Moreno and those obtained in previous works on Lake Escondido and Lake El Trébol shows good agreement. This agreement made it possible to transform the stacked curves into time series spanning the interval 12–20 kyr. The results obtained improved our knowledge of SV and the behaviour of the geomagnetic field and also allowed us to determine the range of past inclination variations from −70° to −45° for the southern hemisphere, where data are scarce.     

毛乌素沙地风沙沉积物磁学特征及其古环境意义

在沙漠沉积环境中,成土作用对磁化率的贡献较小,往往被原生磁信号掩盖,因此分离两种磁组分对气候和粉尘代用指标的提取至关重要.本研究选取位于毛乌素沙地东缘的锦界风沙沉积剖面为研究对象,利用多变量一元线性回归中的"平均值概念"进行磁化率的原生碎屑组分0和次生成土组分Xpedo的分离,并探讨磁学参数所承载的气候和环境意义.结果显示,磁学比值参数(如Xpedo/X0、Xfd/HIRM、Xfd%和XARM/SIRM)彼此之间存在显著线性或指数/对数相关关系,它们对成土强度指示明确,可以在一定程度上减小或避免磁性矿物背景值差异所产生的误差,与磁化率相比更适宜用于该区的古降水量重建.HIRM主要由碎屑赤铁矿含量控制,HIRM与X0存在明显正相关关系,表明碎屑赤铁矿随原生磁性矿物总体含量的增加(减少)而增加(减少),在粉尘成因磁性矿物中所占比例大致稳定,从而HIRM可以指示源区粉尘通量的变化.锦界剖面的原生和次生磁性矿物浓度均明显低于黄土高原黄土,不同地层X0和Xpedo在磁化率中所占的比例存在较大差异,因此磁化率的环境意义比较复杂,在使用其恢复古气候古环境时需慎重.