Decay of a post-depositional remanent magnetization in wet sediments due to the effect of drying

Summary. The decay of the post-depositional remanent magnetization (post-DRM) during desiccation in magnetic field free space is measured as a function of the loss of water. The decay is ascribed to the drying effect and the time decay of viscous remanent magnetization (VRM). The VRM forms only 10 per cent of the total of loss of remanent magnetization. The decay due to the drying effects depends both on the loss of water and on either the evaporation rate or the period of storage. The percentage of loss of magnetization is independent of its intensity.
A critical drying stage appears (about 60 per cent in water content on a dry basis) which is characterized as a vanishing point of mobile particles or particle units. The mobile particles or units play an important role both in acquisition and demagnetization through physical rotational motion within wet sediments before the critical drying stage. More than 80 per cent of the total loss of the post-DRM is destroyed before the desiccation proceeds to the critical drying stage. The decay of post-DRh4 is concluded to be mainly due to the physically random rotation of the magnetic particles trapped in shallow energy wells which are overcome by the torques caused by the application of the alternating magnetic field less than 200 Oe.     

The angular dependence of rotational and anhysteretic remanent magnetizations in rotating rock samples

Summary. Recent experimental work by Edwards has demonstrated that rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) is not a maximum when the alternating field is normal to the rotation axis of the sample (a rock) but is greatest when the angle is about 75°. Experiments involving the production of ARM during sample rotation gave a similar result with a maximum at about 60°. These results are explained here in terms of the response of an isotropic assembly of identical single-domain particles to a strong alternating magnetic field.     

The detection of single-domain greigite (Fe3S4) using rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) and the effective gyro field (Bg): mineral magnetic and palaeomagnetic applications

The intensity of rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) acquired by single-domain greigite at a rotation frequency of 5 rps was combined with measurements of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) to calculate the effective biasing field ( Bg ) that produced the RRM. Samples of single-domain greigite had Bg values between -137 and -84 μT, and a MDF_RRM of c. 80 mT. By contrast, a suite of natural and synthetic ferrimagnetic iron oxide samples, including single-domain magnetite and y Fe₃O₄ tape particles, acquired Bg values between -3 and -14 μT, and MDF_RRM ranged between 43 and 68 mT (when RRM was acquired). Multidomain magnetite did not acquire a RRM. Bg values at 5 rps were calculated from previously published data for magnetite particles of different grain sizes, which revealed a minimum Bg value of -24 μT and a MDF_RRM of 57 mT for the finest fraction (0.2-0.8 μm in diameter). In a geological example, measurements of Bg and MDF_RRM were used to detect the presence of greigite in a 4 m long Late Weichselian sediment core. Variations in inclination, declination and the intensity of the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) correlate with changes in magnetic mineralogy.     

Rotational remanent magnetization and the torque exerted on a rotating rock in an alternating magnetic field

Summary. Using an air turbine at rotation frequencies of between 1.5 and 275 revolutions per second (rps), the dependence of rotational remanent magnetization (RRM) on rotation frequency has been investigated for two igneous samples in and alternating field of 51 mT peak at 50 Hz. The same experimental arrangement has also been used to measure the dependence on rotation frequency of the torque exerted by the alternating field on the rock samples. The dependence of torque and RRM on peak field has also been measured at a rotation frequency of 112 rps and a linear relationship between RRM and torque has been demonstrated.
In an attempt to elucidate the way in which RRM arises, analytical and numerical models of the rock have been developed in order to calculate the torque curves and these agree quite closely with those observed experimentally. While the precise factor responsible for RRM has not yet been identified from the numerical model it is suggested that RRM may arise as a result of particle moments suddenly flipping into the field direction, and thus by virtue of their intrinsic angular momentum acquiring a transient component of magnetic moment antiparallel to the rotation vector describing the flip. This component, due to the hysteresis of the assembly of particles, will not then entirely disappear when the alternating field is removed. An estimate of the transient axial field which can be considered to deflect each moment towards the rotation axis during the flip yields a value of the order of 1 mT.     

Effects of weathering on single-domain magnetite in Early Pliocene marine marls

Rock magnetic parameters are often used to recognize variations in the original magnetic mineralogy and for normalizing purposes in palaeointensity studies. Incipient weathering, however, is shown to have a profound but partly reversible influence on the rock magnetic properties of the marls of the Early Pliocene Trubi formation in southern Sicily (Italy). The remanence in the marls resides in single-domain (SD) magnetite grains, but the remanent coercive force (H_cr) shows a strong variation and most values observed are anomalously high ( H_cr) range 36–188 mT).
The enhanced coercivities are attributed to stress in the magnetite grains induced by surface oxidation at low temperature. Upon heating to 150 °C a reduction of coercivities occurs that can be explained by a stress reduction as a result of a reduction of Fe^2- gradient due to a higher diffusion rate at elevated temperature. After heating to 150 °C, coercivities are quite uniform throughout the outcrop and the values are characteristic of SD magnetite (H_cr range 30–38 mT). The bulk susceptibility increases by 4–24 per cent, and the isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) decreases by 5–11 per cent. The increase in anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) is large: 20–242 per cent. The magnitude of the changes is related to the degree of weathering.
Another effect of heating the marl samples to 150 °C is a substantial reduction of the coercivities of the secondary overprint in the natural remanent magnetization. After heating. separation of the secondary and primary components by alternating-field demagnetization is more efficient. The usual difficulties of thermal demagnetization above 300 °C may thus be avoided by a combination of moderate heating to 150 °C and subsequent alternating-field demagnetization.     

Palaeomagnetism of granitic intrusives from the Precambrian basement under eastern Kansas: orienting drill cores using secondary magnetization components

Summary. The Precambrian basement under east-central Kansas was drilled at two circular aeromagnetic positives, one at Osawattamie and one at Big Springs. The core retrieved from these sites is a coarse to medium grained granite which has been dated by U-Pb to be 1350 Ma old. The palaeomagnetism of these azimuthally unoriented cores was studied to see if a technique which uses low-coercivity, low-temperature magnetization components to orient the cores would allow an independent confirmation of the core's mid-Proterozoic age. Orthogonal projection plots of the alternating field (af) and thermal demagnetization data show that the magnetization of these cores is relatively simple, having only two components: a low-temperature, low-coercivity magnetization with steep positive inclinations and a shallow, negative inclination characteristic magnetization for the Osawattamie core or a positive, moderate inclination characteristic magnetization for the Big Springs core. If the declination of the low-temperature, low-coercivity component is aligned parallel to the present field declination, the characteristic directions may be azimuthally oriented. This allows the calculation of palaeomagnetic poles for the Big Springs core (lat. = 4.5°S, long. = 29.9°E) and the Osawattamie core (lat.= 20.2°N, long. = 39.3°E) which are consistent with Irving's apparent polar wander path for Laurentia at about 1300–1400 Ma. Comparison of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM), viscous remanent magnetization (VRM), and isothermal remanent magnetization af demagnetization curves with a natural remanent magnetization (NRM) demagnetization curve suggests that the Osawattamie core probably acquired a piezoremanent magnetization (PRM) parallel to the core axis during drilling.     

The origin of rotational remanent magnetization

Summary. Rotational remanent magnetization, RRM, is the magnetization acquired when a sample is rotated during alternating field demagnetization. Although the existence of RRM has been well documented in different laboratories, until now no physical mechanism explaining its origin has been given. We propose that the RRM originates from thermal fluctuations biased by a precessional torque associated with the alternating field. Our theory is consistent with the observation that no directional preference exists in the experimental situation until the sample is rotated relative to the alternating field. Moreover, our theory predicts that the combined sample rotation and precession will produce a RRM that switches direction when the frequency of sample rotation increases from any value below the frequency of the alternating field to any value above that frequency as observed in experiments. Although no precise theory is given for the intensity of RRM, the model presented here can qualitatively explain previous intensity observations.     

Studies of partial rotational remanent magnetization and rotational remanent magnetization at slow speeds of rotation

Summary. Rotational remanent magnetizations and partial rotational remanent magnetizations have been induced in four specimens using alternating magnetic fields of 55 mT maximum peak strength and 128 Hz, and speeds of rotation between 0.0016 and 0.4 rev s⁻¹. Each partial rotational remanent magnetization ( PRRM ), was produced by rotating the specimen only at the maximum setting of the alternating field. The variation of PRRM with (a) speed of rotation, ω, and (b) total angle of rotation, θ, was investigated. In (a), PRRM fell slowly but steadily as ω increased; for (b) it rose sharply as θ increased up to 60° and reached a maximum for θ between 90° and 120°. Alternating field demagnetizations of PRRMs were performed with the specimen (a) at rest, and (b) rotating about an axis perpendicular to the field. Rotation significantly enhanced the demagnetization process. Variation of the time T , taken to remove the inducing alternating field produced no detectable effect in the case of PRRM , but affected the value of ω at which a given feature of the RRM —ω curve appeared, and the product θ_F(=ω T ) appears to be more important than either ω or T separately. Current theories on RRM can be used to explain some of the new experimental data on PRRM .     

Gyroremanent magnetization and the magnetic properties of greigite-bearing clays in southern Sweden

The acquisition of a gyroremanent magnetization (GRM) by single-domain (SD) greigite particles during alternating-field (AF) demagnetization is demonstrated. Previous palaeomagnetic studies failed to identify the presence of authigenic greigite in the glacio-marine clays studied. These clays formed the subject of an earlier debate about the validity of a Late Weichselian geomagnetic excursion (the Gothenburg Flip) in southern Sweden. The greigite carries a stable chemical remanent magnetization (CRM), which coexists with a detrital remanent magnetization (DRM) carried by magnetite. AF demagnetization could not isolate the primary remanence in the sediments where magnetite and greigite coexist, due to the overlapping coercivity spectra of the two minerals and the inability to determine the time lag between sediment deposition and CRM formation. Thermal demagnetization removed the CRM at temperatures below 400 C, but this method was hindered by the unconsolidated nature of the sediments and the formation of secondary magnetic minerals at higher temperatures. The results suggest that the low-coercivity DRM carried by magnetite was mistaken for a 'viscous' component in the earlier studies. Hence the former debate about the record of the Gothenburg Flip may have been based on erroneous palaeomagnetic interpretations or non-reproducible results. AF demagnetization procedures applied to samples suspected of bearing SD magnetic particles (such as greigite) should be carefully selected to recognize and account for GRM acquisition.     

Using geomagnetic secular variation to separate remanent and induced sources of the crustal magnetic field

Magnetic fields originating from magnetized crustal rocks dominate the geomagnetic spectrum at wavelengths of 0.1–100 km. It is not known whether the magnetization is predominantly induced or remanent, and static surveys cannot discriminate between the two. Long‐running magnetic observatories offer a chance, in principle, of separating the two sources because secular variation leads to a change in the main inducing field, which in turn causes a change in the induced part of the short‐wavelength crustal field. We first argue that the induced crustal field, b ^I( t ), is linearly related to the local core field, B ( t ), through a symmetric, trace‐free matrix A : b ^I( t )= A B ( t ). We then subtract a core field model from the observatory annual means and invert the residuals for three components of the remanent field, b ^R( t ), and the five independent elements of A . Applying the method to 20 European observatories, all of which have recorded for more than 50 years, shows that the most difficult task is to distinguish b ^R from the steady part of b ^I. However, for nine observatories a time‐dependent induced field fits the data better than a steady remanent field at the 99 per cent confidence level, suggesting the presence of a significant induced component to the magnetization.     

Dating of thaw depths in permafrost terrain by the palaeomagnetic method: experimental acquisition of a freezing remanent magnetization

The acquisition of a freezing remanent magnetization (FRM) has been studied in controlled magnetic and thermal environments by successive freezing and thawing (−18 to +20°C) of samples of natural sediments from a frost polygon near Ny Ålesund, Spitsbergen. Successive freeze-thaw cycles cause a significant decrease in the intensity of the initially induced shock remanent magnetization (SRM), associated with directional trends towards the ambient magnetic field direction during the freezing phase. A slow increase in intensity commences after seven to 10 freeze-thaw cycles. The acquisition of a FRM in samples carrying an isothermal remanent magnetization shows a significantly smaller reduction in intensity and only minor directional variations. This result indicates that only a fraction of the magnetic grains in a natural sediment contributes to the natural remanent magnetization. Insignificant changes in lengths and directions of the principal susceptibility ellipsoid axes also indicate that magnetic fabric and remanent magnetization are carried by partly different populations of magnetic grains.
The acquisition of a FRM in nature has yet to be explored. If such a process is confirmed, however, it has the potential for obtaining age estimates of ancient thaw depths and for providing insights into material transport processes in frost polygons.     

Current-scattered (?) detrital remanence directions in the Zn-rich Pennsylvanian Stark black shale, USA

Palaeomagnetic results are reported from the metalliferous Stark black shale in the Upper Pennsylvanian (Missourian/Kasimovian) Kansas City Group. Palaeomagnetic analysis of 400 specimens from 28 sites gives a characteristic remanent magnetization in 17 sites of the shale that yields a Late Mississippian to Middle Pennsylvanian palaeopole at 32.2°N 128.5°E (dp = 4.7° and dm = 8.8°). The observed palaeomagnetic age is slightly older than the host rock, indicating that the mineralization of the Stark Shale has, excluding recent alteration, a primary sedimentary or syngenetic origin. The reason for the slightly older age is likely due to trace modern hematite that slightly steepens the remanence inclination. The large oval of 95 per cent confidence is interpreted to be caused by clay–magnetite aggregates that formed during sediment transport and the biasing effect of the gentle palaeocurrent at each site acting on the large aggregates. Therefore, the scattered distribution of the site mean remanence declinations found for the Stark Shale is evidence of a detrital remanent magnetization that is formed by primary sedimentary processes with an enriched metallic content and not remagnetization with mineralization by secondary hydrothermal processes.     

The Palaeomagnetism of the Great Dyke of Southern Rhodesia

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Oriented cores have been secured from fourteen sites in the Great Rhodesian Dyke, by means of a portable sampling drill. The natural remanent magnetizations showed high dispersion at all sites except one. After demagnetization in alternating magnetic fields, nine sites gave well grouped directions of primary magnetization. These sites include five rock types distributed among three Complexes of the Great Dyke and two satellite dykes, over 200 miles of the length of the Dyke and through several thousand feet in depth as the rocks were originally intruded. The nine site mean directions of primary magnetization are closely grouped and are believed to represent directions of thermo-remanent magnetization at the date of intrusion of the Great Dyke. It is suggested that the dates of magnetization at the sites must cover a sufficient time interval to give a mean pole position close to the axial geocentric dipole freed from secular variation. On the assumption of a geocentric dipole field, the position of the mean South magnetic pole is 211/2 °N, 611/2 °E, with radius of 95 per cent confidence 9°. This pole position is close to positions of North magnetic poles given by studies of the palaeo-magnetism of the Pilansberg Dykes and Bushveld gabbro.     

The acquisition of post-depositional detrital remanent magnetization in a variety of natural sediments

Summary. Post-depositional detrital remanent magnetization (pDRM) is the primary means whereby many sediments acquire their palaeomagnetic signal. We have studied the acquisition of this magnetization in a variety of natural sediments. Our technique involves determining the magnetic direction recorded by a sediment as a function of the water content present in the sediment when the sediment experiences a change in the direction of the applied magnetic field. Most of the sediments used in this study were collected wet from natural environments and were preserved in their original state until they were used in the experiments. Grain sizes were measured by the settling tube method which led to the determination of the clay, silt and sand fractions in each sediment. Isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition studies indicated that the predominant magnetic carriers were magnetite. In the pDRM acquisition studies two distinct modes of behaviour were found. For sediments with a sand content less than 60 per cent, the original direction of magnetization was preserved regardless of the water content. Such behaviour is not consistent with a theoretical model which assumes that at high water contents the magnetic carriers remain mobile within fluid-filled voids and hence are able to realign along a new magnetic field direction. For sediments with a sand content in excess of 60%, remagnetization along a new magnetic field direction occurred as expected, provided the sediments were sufficiently wet. Studies of natural sediments and corresponding samples of dried and reconstituted sediments have demonstrated that the magnetic characterization of a sediment can be reliably determined even for older, desiccated sediments.     

Thermal generation of ferromagnetic minerals from iron-enriched smectites

In recent years remagnetization of orogenic belts has been explained by fluid migration through rocks undergoing deformation. A laboratory study of remagnetization is presented in which varying amounts of iron (0-13.5 weight per cent Fe₂O₃) are adsorbed onto smectite surfaces. All smectite samples contain structural Fe (III) which is located in octahedral sites and is thermally stable up to 700 C. An increase in the amount of iron adsorbed onto the clay surface leads to the formation of ferric nanophases in which parts are magnetic. Mineralogical changes that occur during thermal treatment between room temperature and 700 C were monitored using electron spin resonance (ESR), bulk susceptibility, acquisition of isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) and Curie temperature analysis. After heating the samples to 250 C, a new ferrimagnetic phase is created as indicated by ESR and IRM acquisition. ESR spectra, IRM acquisition and Curie analyses suggest that magnetite is the predominant phase that is being created. These grains continue to be created and grow with heating up to 500 C. Above this temperature a decrease in the intensity of the IRM at 1T suggests that the phase is being transformed into haematite. The thermal experiments on iron-loaded smectites show that surface-induced processes can lead to the formation of new magnetic minerals under conditions characteristic of low-grade metamorphism.     

A theoretical and experimental comparison of the anisotropies of magnetic susceptibility and remanence in rocks and minerals

Summary. Susceptibility, thermo-remanent magnetization (TRM) and isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) anisotropy ellipsoids have been determined for several rock samples. The results indicate that the ellipsoid of initial susceptibility is less anisotropic than the TRM and low field IRM ellipsoids which are found experimentally to be of identical shape. This suggests that palaeomagnetic data for anisotropic rocks may be corrected by using the anisotropy ellipsoid determined from magnetically non-destructive low field IRM measurements. Such IRM measurements can also be used to obtain anisotropy axes of samples which are inherently anisotropic but which have a susceptibility which is too weak to be accurately measured. The results for a series of artificial anisotropic samples containing magnetite particles of different sizes (in the range 0.2–90 μm) were very similar to those for the rocks. In contrast, a comparison of the susceptibility and IRM ellipsoids for anisotropic samples containing particles from a magnetic tape gave very different results in accordance with theory. Such results imply that susceptibility and IRM ellipsoids could be used to determine whether anisotropic rocks contain uniaxial single-domain particles (magnetization confined to the easy axis) or whether the particles are essentially multidomain.     

On the superparamagnetic—stable single domain transition for magnetite, and frequency dependence of susceptibility

Sediments and soils often contain superparamagnetic (SP) magnetite or maghemite grains that cause a frequency dependence of low-field susceptibility X _fd which does not exceed 15 per cent/decade of frequency. Present models predict very different volume distributions for samples with the largest observed frequency dependence of susceptibility. While Stephensons' (1971) power-law model predicts most grains to be smaller than the stable single domain (SSD) threshold, the phenomenological model of >Dearing et al . (1996) suggests that most grains are between 10 and 25 nm in diameter. Finally, the recent calculations of Eyre (1997) indicate very broad volume distributions. This study reviews the nature of the superparamagnetic–stable single domain (SP–SSD) transition. The change of AC susceptibilities with grain size (or temperature) at the SP–SSD boundary is more gradual than commonly assumed. When distributions of particle coercivities and volumes are also considered, X _fd values are much smaller than those calculated by Eyre (1997). Nonetheless, X _fd can be larger than 15 per cent, and a larger frequency dependence has indeed been measured for some samples. The question whether the observed limited X _fd of soils and sediments is a result of a broad distribution or of a bimodal distribution, where SP and SSD grains are restricted to a certain relative abundance, can potentially be answered by susceptibility determinations at more than two frequencies and by measurements of the temperature dependence of susceptibility.     

Magnetic properties of hydrothermally synthesized greigite (Fe3 S4 )—II. High- and low-temperature characteristics

The magnetic behaviour of hydrothermally synthesized greigite was analysed in the temperature range from 4 K to 700 °C. Below room temperature, hysteresis parameters were determined as a function of temperature, with emphasis on the temperature range below 50 K. Saturation magnetization and initial susceptibility were studied above room temperature, along with X-ray diffraction analysis of material heated to various temperatures. The magnetic behaviour of synthetic greigite on heating is determined by chemical alteration rather than by magnetic unblocking. Heating in air yields more discriminative behaviour than heating in argon. When heated in air, the amount of oxygen available for reaction with greigite determines the products and magnetic behaviour. In systems open to contact with air, haematite is the final reaction product. When the contact with air is restricted, magnetite is the final reaction product. When air is excluded, pyrrhotite and magnetite are the final reaction products; the amount of magnetite formed is determined by the purity of the starting greigite and the degree of its surficial oxidation. The saturation magnetization of synthetic greigite is virtually independent of temperature from room temperature down to 4 K. The saturation remanent magnetization increases slowly by 20–30 per cent on cooling from room temperature to 4 K. A broad maximum is observed at ~10 K which may be diagnostic of greigite. The coercive and remanent coercive force both increase smoothly with decreasing temperature to 4 K. The coercive force increases from ~50 mT at room temperature to approximately 100–120 mT at 4 K, and the remanent coercive force increases from approximately 50–80 mT at room temperature to approximately 110–180 mT at 4 K.     

Regional magnetic and palaeomagnetic correlation in the Grampian Highlands

Summary . An elongated zone of positive magnetic anomalies extends from Northern Ireland to the Shetland Islands. From the total magnetization of the body causing the anomaly and published palaeomagnetic directions corresponding to a range of different possible ages for the remanent magnetization of this body, associated ranges of susceptibility are calculated. These ranges favour a Siluro–Devonian age as most plausible for the remanent magnetization. Such an age is compatible with the known geology of the area.     

广东韶关市农业土壤磁学性质的空间分布及其影响因素

环境磁学方法具有快速、经济、非破坏性等优点,在农业土壤方面具有较高的研究价值与应用潜力。选取广东省韶关市范围内的32个耕地和65个林地表层土壤样品进行环境磁学分析,测试其高、低频磁化率,非磁滞剩磁与饱和等温剩磁等磁学参数,分析农业土壤磁学性质的空间分布特征及其影响因素,以及磁学指标之间的相关性。结果表明：韶关市农业土壤磁学参数在空间上存在较大变异性,曲江、新丰和乐昌北部的磁性矿物质量分数较高,乳源、武江、始兴南部和翁源北部的磁性矿物粒度较细。土地利用方式是研究区内农业土壤磁学性质的主要影响因素,耕地的磁性颗粒粒径比林地粗,磁性矿物质量分数比林地低。母质类型对农业土壤磁学性质的影响程度不及土地利用类型,可能由于农业土壤受人为因素的影响比母质更显著。人为排放源,包括工业活动和交通运输,对农业表层土壤磁性有明显的增强效应,对磁性物质的粒径分布也有一定的影响。