Spatial and temporal variability of crustal magnetization of a slowly spreading ridge: Mid-Atlantic Ridge (20°–24° N)

The results of the two- and three-dimensional magnetic inversions performed on data located between 20°–24° N on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge indicate the crustal magnetization has decayed exponentially for the last 10 Ma, and that this decay has been fairly symmetric about the ridge axis. After removal of the mean temporal decay, the residual field is characterized by more positive magnetizations at the second-order discontinuities, regardless of initial magnetization direction. A model that involves the preferential emplacement of serpentinized lithologies near the discontinuities is proposed to explain this correlation. The temporal detrending method also indicates that several ridge-parallel depressions located on the flanks of the ridge axis are regions of more positive magnetizations. These bathymetric depressions may mark the locations of detachment faulting that occurred during amagmatic periods of extension. The general symmetry of the crustal magnetization about the ridge axis does not support the occurrence of continuous detachment faulting proposed to correspond to the inner and outer corners of ridge axis discontinuities.     

确定任意磁性体磁化方向的样条函数法

由磁异常Z_α和重力异常g,利用样条函数的微、积分性质,从泊松方程出发,直接解得磁性体的磁化方向。该方法适用于任意形状磁性体的磁异常。     

Three-dimensional inversion of marine magnetic anomalies: Implications for crustal accretion along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (28°–31°30′ N)

We present magnetic field data collected over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the vicinity of the Atlantis Fracture Zone and extending out to 10 Ma-old lithosphere. We calculated a magnetization distribution which accounts for the observed magnetic field by performing a three-dimensional inversion in the presence of bathymetry. Our results show the well-developed pattern of magnetic reversals over our study area. We observe a sharp decay in magnetization from the axis out to older lithosphere and we attribute this decay to progressive low temperature oxidation of basalt. In crust which is 10 Ma, we observe an abrupt increase in magnetic field intensity which could be due to an increase in the intensity of magnetization or thickness of the magnetic source layer. We demonstrate that because the reversal epoch was of unusually long duration, a two-layer model comprised of a shallow extrusive layer and a deeper intrusive layer with sloping polarity boundaries can account for the increase in the amplitude of anomaly 5. South of the Atlantis Fracture Zone, high magnetization is correlated with bathymethic troughts at segment end points and lower magnetization is associated with bathymetric highs at segment midpoints. This pattern can be explained by a relative thinning of the magnetic source layer toward the midpoint of the segment. Thickening of the source layer at segment endpoints due to alteration of lower oceanic crust could also cause this pattern. Because we do not observe this pattern north of the fracture zone, we suggest it is a result of the nature of crustal formation process where mantle upwelling is focused. South of the fracture zone, reversals along discontinuity traces only continue to crust 2 Ma old. In crust >2 Ma, we observe bands of high, positive magnetization along discontinuity traces. We suggest that within the discontinuity traces, a high, induced component of magnetization is produced by serpentinized lower crust/upper mantle and this masks the contribution of basalts to the magnetic anomaly signal.     

Paleomagnetic studies of the Late Mesozoic deformation stage in the southern Primorye region

The analysis of paleomagnetic data available for the southern Primiorye region revealed that the studied objects were magnetized under regional remagnetization presumably during the Late Mesozoic folding and this magnetization can be interpreted as being synfolding. The interpretation is based on the parameter that characterizes the folding completion degree immediately before regional remagnetization. It is shown that the relaxation of Late Mesozoic horizontal stresses was irregular. The obtained estimates of the degree of folding completion are consistent with the available geological data and Talitskii’s model for tectonic deformations.     

Periodicities in natural remanent magnetization and palaeoclimatic records detected by walsh spectra

The time series consisting of nonsinusoidal Natural Remanent Magnetization (NRM) and palaeoclimatic variations for the past two million years have been spectrally examined by using a new Walsh transform technique. The results show statistically significant periodicities (at 95% confidence level) of approximately 92,000 years; 43,000 years and 21,000 years in the ensemble spectra of the NRM intensity (mineralogic) variations. These NRM periodicities are remarkably close to the well-known Milankovitch cycles. The ensemble spectra of palaeoclimatic records reveal only 41,000 years statistically significant (95%) periodicity corresponding to the obliquity cycle. The study suggests that NRM variations in deep sea sediments probably are more sensitive recorders of palaeoclimatic memory than the oxygen isotope variations.     

Where did rotational shortening occur in the Himalayas? - Inferences from palaeomagnetic remagnetisations

In metacarbonates of the Lesser (LH) and Tethyan (TH) Himalayas of Kumaon/Garhwal (N-India) characteristic remanent magnetisations carried by pyrrhotite (unblocking temperatures: 250-330°C) and magnetite (demagnetising spectra: 15-50 mT) have been identified. Negative fold tests indicate remanence acquisition after the main folding phase, which is of short-wavelength character and occurs during the early orogenese of the Himalayas. A thermal or thermochemical origin of magnetisation is likely and the age of remanence acquisition is indicated to be about 40 Ma by ⁴⁰K/³⁹Ar cooling and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar crystallisation ages. In the Kumaon LH a long-wavelength tilting is indicated by a distribution of the remanence directions along a small-circle in N-S direction. Steepening of the remanence directions in the TH related to ramping on the Main Central Thrust (MCT) was not observed, in contrast to other related studies. In the Alaknanda valley of LH a 38±8 Ma age of remanence acquisition is supported by comparison of observed inclinations to the apparent polar wander path of India. Clockwise rotation of 20.3±11.7° (LH/Alaknanda valley) and 11.3±8.5° (TH) with respect to the Indian plate is observed, indicating that there is no significant evidence for rotational shortening along the MCT since about 40 Ma. Our results suggest that most of rotational underthrusting and oroclinal bending has not been accommodated by the MCT, but by the main thrusts south of it. The latest Miocene/Pliocene age of the Main Boundary Thrust indicates that oroclinal bending is a late-orogenic process.     

Gravity and magnetic signatures of volcanic plugs related to Deccan volcanism in Saurashtra, India and their physical and geochemical properties

The Bouguer anomaly and the total intensity magnetic maps of Saurashtra have delineated six circular gravity highs and magnetic anomalies of 40-60 mGal (10⁻⁵m/s²) and 800-1000 nT, respectively. Three of them in western Saurashtra coincide with known volcanic plugs associated with Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP), while the other three in SE Saurashtra coincide with rather concealed plugs exposed partially. The DVP represents different phases of eruption during 65.5±2.5 Ma from the Reunion plume. The geochemical data of the exposed rock samples from these plugs exhibit a wide variation in source composition, which varies from ultramafic/mafic to felsic composition of volcanic plugs in western Saurashtra and an alkaline composition for those in SE Saurashtra. Detailed studies of granophyres and alkaline rocks from these volcanic plugs reveal a calc-alkaline differentiation trend and a continental tectonic setting of emplacement. The alkaline plugs of SE Saurashtra are associated with NE-SW oriented structural trends, related to the Gulf of Cambay and the Cambay rift basin along the track of the Reunion plume. This indicates a deeper source for these plugs compared to those in the western part and may represent the primary source magma. The Junagadh plug with well differentiated ring complexes in western Saurashtra shows well defined centers of magnetic anomaly while the magnetic anomalies due to other plugs are diffused though of the same amplitude. This implies that other plugs are also associated with mafic/ultramafic components, which may not be differentiated and may be present at subsurface levels. Paleomagnetic measurements on surface rock samples from DVP in Saurashtra suggest a susceptibility of 5.5×10⁻² SI units with an average Koenigsberger ratio (Q_n) of almost one and average direction of remanent magnetization of D=147.4° and I=+56.1°. The virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) position computed from the mean direction of magnetization for the volcanic plugs and Deccan basalt of Saurashtra is 30°N and 74°W, which is close to the VGP position corresponding to the early phases of Deccan eruption. Modeling of gravity and magnetic anomalies along two representative profiles across Junagadh and Barda volcanic plugs suggest a bulk density of 2900 and 2880 kg/m³, respectively and susceptibility of 3.14×10⁻² SI units with a Q_n ratio of 0.56 which are within the range of their values obtained from laboratory measurements on exposed rock samples. The same order of gravity and magnetic anomalies observed over the volcanic plugs of Saurashtra indicates almost similar bulk physical properties for them. The inferred directions of magnetization from magnetic anomalies, however, are D=337° and 340° and I=−38° and −50° which represent the bulk direction of magnetization and also indicate a reversal of the magnetic field during the eruption of these plugs. Some of these plugs are associated with seismic activities of magnitude ≤4 at their contacts. Based on this analysis, other circular/semi-circular gravity highs of NW India can be qualitatively attributed to similar subsurface volcanic plugs.