Review of the low-temperature magnetic properties of magnetite from a rock magnetic perspective

The low-temperature magnetic properties of magnetite are reviewed, and implications for rock magnetism considered. The behaviour of fundamental properties of magnetite at low temperatures near the Verwey transition ( T _v ) are documented, and attention is given to various Verwey transition theories. The low-temperature behaviour of the magnetic energies that control domain structure is reviewed in detail. For the first time in rock magnetic literature, the low-temperature anomaly in spontaneous magnetization ( M _s ) is documented and the differences between the saturation magnetization and M _s near the Verwey transition are discussed. It is argued that the low-temperature behaviour of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and in particular the anomaly at T _v , is most likely to affect multidomain remanence during low-temperature cycling. For multidomain crystals it is calculated that the large increase in magnetocrystalline anisotropy intensity and reduction in symmetry on cooling through T _v is likely to reduce the stability of closure domains.     

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.     

Three-dimensional Rayleigh hysteresis of oriented core samples from the German Continental Deep Drilling Program: susceptibility tensor, Rayleigh tensor, three-dimensional Rayleigh law

Rayleigh hysteresis, as defined by the well-known Rayleigh relations, has been observed not only when magnetization of pyrrhotite-bearing KTB-samples is measured in parallel to a weak dc magnetic field, but also in experiments where field and measuring directions have been adjusted strictly perpendicularly to each other. Nine-tupels of independent Rayleigh hysteresis loops could thus be compiled. Their characteristic coefficients X ^ijk of initial susceptibility together with the Rayleigh loss coefficients α^jk have been proved to determine completely the samples' weak-field magnetic anisotropy. Interpreting the coefficient matrices ( X ^ijk) and (α^jk) as the tensor of initial susceptibility and the Rayleigh tensor, respectively, generalization of the isotropic Rayleigh relations in terms of corresponding tensor relationships has been suggested for the anisotropic case. Application to the KTB samples showed 3-D Rayleigh hysteresis measurements to be an excellent tool for rock magnetic analysis in terms of ore content and crystalline texture. In particular, a magnetocrystalline double texture of the basal planes of pyrrhotite precipitates and their [1120] directions of easy magnetization have been clearly detected. Surprisingly, the welt-known theorem α= const. X ²_I, formulated by Néel (1942) for the isotropic case, has been found to hold true even in tensor generalization (α_jk) = const ( X ²_jk). To reach sufficient resolution for the measurements performed, a sensitive vibrating coil magnetometer (VCM) has been developed.     

Coercive force of single crystals of magnetite at low temperatures

The temperature dependence of coercive force H _c was studied on well-characterized and stoichiometric millimetre-sized single crystals of magnetite at a series of 16 temperatures from 300 to 10 K using a SQUID magnetometer. H _c decreases gradually with cooling to the isotropic temperature, T _i = 130 K, where the first magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant K ₁ becomes zero. H _c exhibits a sharp increase at the Verwey transition, T _v = 120 K, where the structure changes from cubic to monoclinic. In crossing the Verwey transition, H _c increases by more than two orders of magnitude, from 20 μT to 2.4 mT, and the shape of the hysteresis loops becomes wasp-waisted.
Observed coercivity between 300 K and 170 K varies with temperature as λ _s / M _s , where λ _s is the magnetostriction constant and M _s is the saturation magnetization, indicating that the coercivity in MD magnetite is controlled mainly by internal stress associated with dislocations or other crystal defects. It seems likely that the stable single-domain-like magnetic memory observed in large MD magnetite crystals is due to magnetoelastically pinned domain walls. The discontinuous change in H _c at the Verwey transition is controlled by abrupt changes in magnetocrystalline and magnetostriction constants due to crystal deformation from cubic to monoclinic structure.     

Magnetic susceptibility anisotropy measurements of coal from the South Wales coal field: a coalification process indicator

Summary. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility measurements have been performed on 154 specimens taken from 25 different seams in the South Wales Coal Field, up to 24 samples per seam. The magnetic fabric determined is represented, in general, by oblate spheroids with minimum ( K _c) AMS axes usually clustered at a near-vertical, or occasionally, near-horizontal pole which is normal to the magnetic foliation plane defined by great circle distributions of maximum ( K _a) and intermediate ( K _b) axes. The results suggest that the coalification process and variations in rank within the coal field are due to the combined effects of vertical compression and compaction resulting from variations in overburden pressure, and to horizontal compression, due to variations in tectonic thrusting during the Variscan Orogeny. Analysis of the AMS of closely spaced samples across a single anthracite seam shows no systematic variability in magnetic properties within the seam.     

Multimodal investigation of thermally induced changes in magnetic fabric and magnetic mineralogy

Low-field magnetic susceptibility and its anisotropy (AMS) were measured for a suite of sandstone and siltstone samples. AMS orientations measured on two systems (Bartington and Digico) differed before thermal treatment of the samples but became the same after thermal demagnetization in air to 600 °C. Six position measurement schemes for the Bartington system do not eliminate the effects of specimen inhomogeneity and other errors, whereas 12- and 24-position measurements give good agreement with the Digico anisotropy meter and with the observed petrofabric. Thermal demagnetization from temperatures between 400 and 650 °C had the effect of enhancing both the magnetic susceptibility and AMS. Although the most profound mineralogical change due to heating was the conversion of kaolinite into metakaolin, IRM, XRD, DTA and Mössbauer spectroscopic analysis demonstrate that the changes in magnetic properties were due to the transformation upon heating of trace amounts of sulphides into magnetite and/or maghemite and haematite. Both magnetic susceptibility and the degree of anisotropy decrease with higher-temperature thermal demagnetization due to the oxidation of the newly formed magnetite and/or maghemite into haematite. The magnetic foliation of the newly formed magnetite/maghemite and haematite is parallel to the bedding, possibly following the orientation of the original sulphides.     

The traveltime perturbations for seismic body waves in factorized anisotropic inhomogeneous media

The traveltime perturbation equations for the quasi-compressional and the two quasi-shear waves propagating in a factorized anisotropic inhomogeneous (FAI) media are derived. The concept of FAI media simplifies considerably these equations. In the FAI medium, the density normalized elastic parameters a _ijkl ( X _i ) can be described by the relation a _ijkl ( X _i) = f ²( x _i ) A _ijkl, where A _ijkl are constants, independent of coordinates x _i and f ²( x _i) is a continuous smooth function of x _i . The types of anisotropy ( A _ijkl ) and inhomogeneity [ f ( x _i)] are not restricted. The traveltime perturbations of individual seismic body waves ( q ^P , qS 1 and qS 2) propagating in the FAI medium depend, of course, both on the structural pertubations [δ f ²( x _i)] and on the anisotropy perturbations (δ A _ijkl ), but both these effects are fully separated. The perturbation equations for the time delay between the two qS -waves propagating in the FAI medium are simplified even more. If the unperturbed (background) medium is isotropic, the perturbation of the time delay does not depend on the structural perturbations (δ f ²( x _i) at all. This striking result, valid of course only in the framework of first-order perturbation theory, will simplify considerably the interpretation of the time delay between the two split qS -waves in inhomogeneous anisotropic media. Numerical examples are presented.     

Seismic anisotropy within the uppermost mantle of southern Germany

This paper presents an updated interpretation of seismic anisotropy within the uppermost mantle of southern Germany. The dense network of reversed and crossing refraction profiles in this area made it possible to observe almost 900 traveltimes of the P_n phase that could be effectively used in a time-term analysis to determine horizontal velocity distribution immediately below the Moho. For 12 crossing profiles, amplitude ratios of the P_n phase compared to the dominant crustal phase were utilized to resolve azimuthally dependent velocity gradients with depth. A P -wave anisotropy of 3–4 per cent in a horizontal plane immediately below the Moho at a depth of 30 km, increasing to 11 per cent at a depth of 40 km, was determined. For the axis of the highest velocity of about 8.03 km s⁻¹ at a depth of 30 km a direction of N31°F was obtained. The azimuthal dependence of the observed P_n amplitude is explained by an azimuth-dependent sub-Moho velocity gradient decreasing from 0.06 s⁻¹ in the fast direction to 0 s⁻¹ in the slow direction of horizontal P -wave velocity. From the seismic results in this study a petrological model suggesting a change of modal composition and percentage of oriented olivine with depth was derived.     

Magnetic fabric and its significance in the Florianópolis dyke swarm, southern Brazil

Magnetic fabric was determined by applying the anisotropy from the low-field magnetic susceptibility (AMS) technique in 62 mafic dykes from the Mesozoic Florianópolis (Santa Catarina Island) dyke swarm, southern Brazil. These dykes cut the crystalline basement rocks, which are mainly Proterozoic. They are vertical or subvertical in dip and trend mainly NE, although NW-trending dykes are also found. Dykes are tholeiitic in composition and are geochemically similar to those from the Ponta Grossa swarm. Thicknesses vary from 0.3 to 60 m. Polished sections show that titanomagnetites carry the AMS in these dykes. Hysteresis parameters show that the magnetic minerals fall in the PSD range. Two types of magnetic fabric are recognized. Type I is characterized by K ₁- K ₂ parallel to the dyke wall, representing magma flow within the dykes; type II, with K ₁- K ₃ parallel to the dyke wall, was found in four dykes. Type I is found in 94 per cent of the dykes, and approximately 20 per cent of these have K ₁ inclinations of less than 30°, suggesting horizontal or subhorizontal flow. About 80 per cent have K ₁ inclinations of greater than 30°, due to inclined to vertical flow. The comparison of AMS studies from both the Florianópolis and the Ponta Grossa dykes suggests a source position closer to Santa Catarina Island than the Ponta Grossa arch.     

An experimental study of the intensity and stability of thermoremanent magnetization acquired by synthetic monodomain titanomagnetite substituted by aluminium

Summary. Titanomagnetites of composition Fe_2.4-δAl_δTi_0.6O₄ and Fe_2.6-δAl_δTi_0–4O₄(δ=0, 0.1 and 0.2 in both cases) were prepared in the monodomain state by pulverization of sintered synthetic material. In low fields, the thermoremanence (TRM) was found to be linear with inducing field and of high enough intensity to account for typical natural remanent magnetizations of fresh submarine basalts. The higher field TRM acquisition curves follow the Néel model curve for an assemblage of non-interacting identical particles in a general way only, the differences being due to interactions, or the range of particle blocking temperatures and volumes or other features of the samples not included in the model. The unblocking temperatures of low field TRM lie in a narrow range below the Curie point. The low field TRM is very resistant to alternating field demagnetization and provides a very striking illustration of the strength of the TRM mechanism in preserving a stable record of a weak magnetic field. The result of a Lowrie-Fuller test on the material is consistent with the monodomain state.     

Rapid computation of magnetic anomalies with demagnetization included, for arbitrarily shaped magnetic bodies

Summary. The potential function ø for a magnetic body of susceptibility μ in a medium of susceptibility μ* satisfies the integral equation
Here Φ* is the potential function for the region without the heterogeneity and R is the distance from the point of observation to the point on the surface, s , of the body. δΦ /δn is the normal derivative, in the direction of the outward normal. The equation allows for the effects of demagnetization. For numerical purposes the surfaces can be divided into N facets over which δΦ/δ n is a constant. The unknown quantities δΦ/δn_j can be found from the system of equations defined by:
The prime on the summation sign denotes that the summation does not include the i th element. The magnetic field in the direction of the unit vector P( P ₁, P ₂, P₃ ) is given by:      

A study of geomagnetic storms

Summary. An attempt is made to find interplanetary magnetic field and solar-wind parameters which control the development of geomagnetic storms. For this purpose, the interplanetary energy flux is estimated in terms of the Poynting flux ( E × B /4π), and its time variations are compared with the rate of energy dissipation in terms of the ring-current particle injection u _i( t ), Joule dissipation in the ionosphere u_j ( t ) and auroral particle injection u_p ( t ) for 15 major geomagnetic storms.
It is shown that the growth of geomagnetic storms, namely the time variations of the rate of the total energy dissipation, u ( t ) = u _i( t ) + u _j( t ) + u _p( t ), is closely related to the Poynting flux by the following relation:
where l ₀≅ 7 R _E and θ' is a measure of the angle between the interplanetary magnetic field vector and the magnetospheric field vector at the front of the magnetosphere in the equatorial plane. Further, it is shown that within a factor of 2 for each storm period.
A large increase of u ( t ) is associated with substorm activity. Thus, the energy flux ɛ( t ) entering the magnetosphere is dissipated through magneto-spheric substorm processes within the magnetosphere, and their accumulated effects can be understood as geomagnetic storm phenomena.     

The causes of low-temperature demagnetization of remanence in multidomain magnetite

In this paper, the mechanisms of low-temperature demagnetization of remanence in multidomain magnetite are considered. New experimental observations of the behaviour of the saturation isothermal remanence, thermoremanence and partial thermoremanence at low temperatures are presented. The results show that there are two main contributions to this low-temperature demagnetization. The first and predominant contribution (type-1 demagnetization) is due to 'kinematic' domain state reorganization and occurs throughout cooling from room temperature to the Verwey transition, T _v , at 120–124  K. The second contribution arises from the change in anisotropy from cubic to monoclinic at T _v , which changes the overall domain structure of the grain. On warming in zero field, some domain walls will not return to their original positions but will take up a position that leads to a lower net remanence (type-2 demagnetization). In stoichiometric magnetite, demagnetization does not occur at 130  K at the isotropic point, T _k , contrary to some previous predictions. In non-stoichiometric magnetite, the influence of the Verwey transition is greatly reduced, and anomalous behaviour is observed at T _k .     

Further reliability tests for determination of palaeointensities of the Earth's magnetic field

Summary. In palaeomagnetic studies of volcanic rocks it is often considered that, if the direction of NRM does not change much and the intensity de-creases gradually and smoothly during ac cleaning, then the remanent magnetization is stable and chiefly composed of TRM. This argument is extended as a consistency check to detect unwanted effects during laboratory heating. A simple procedure which employs orientated samples and a short heating (15 min) for TRM acquisition in the laboratory has been used for determining the ancient geomagnetic field intensity using seven volcanic rocks of Late Cenozoic age from central Mexico. The main reliability tests are based on the stability of direction, the close correspondence of the entire coercitivity spectra of both NRM and TRM to ac demagnetization, the low scatter of TRM directions, close correspondence of the TRM directions and the direction of the laboratory magnetic field, proportionality of TRM intensities to applied field, susceptibility comparison before and after heating, and the within-unit consistency of palaeointensity determinations.     

Palaeomagnetism of the Tudor gabbro, Ontario: evidence for divergence between Grenvillia and interior Laurentia

Summary. After thermal and alternating field (AF) cleaning, the characteristic high blocking temperature A component of natural remanent magnetization (NRM) of the Tudor gabbro of southern Ontario has a mean direction D = 326°, I =–46° ( k = 132, α₉₅= 4.8°, N = 8 sites). The corresponding palaeopole, 133°E, 12°N ( dp = 4°, dm = 6°), confirms the palaeopole 137°E, 17°N (α₉₅= 8.4°) reported earlier by Palmer & Carmichael, based on AF cleaning only. The A NRM has unblocking temperatures > 515–525°C which exceed the estimated 500°C peak temperature reached locally during ∼ 1050 Ma Grenvillian regional metamorphism. The A NRM therefore predates metamorphism and is probably a primary thermoremanence (TRM). The age of the Tudor NRM has previously been taken to be about 675 Ma, but recent ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating by Baksi has shown that this is the time of post-metamorphic cooling to 200–250°C. Hornblendes record initial cooling of the intrusion to 590±20°C at 1110 Ma and this is the best estimate of the age of the A remanence. Successful Thellier-type palaeointensity determinations on 11 Tudor samples confirm that the A NRM is a TRM and indicate a palaeofield at this time of 18–27 μT, about 50–70 per cent of the present field intensity at 27° magnetic latitude. The anomalous Tudor A palaeopole, which lies well to the west of both 1000–800 Ma Grenvillian palaeopoles and 1100–1050 Ma poles from Interior Laurentia, is interpreted as recording divergence between Grenvillia and Interior Laurentia just before the Grenvillian orogeny, rather than a post-metamorphic extension of the apparent polar wander path as previously assumed.     

Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility investigations of the St Malo dyke swarm (Brittany, France): emplacement mechanism of doleritic intrusions

A high-quality aeromagnetic survey of northern Brittany (line spacing 250  m; flight elevation 150  m) has been used to delineate the Lower Carboniferous St Malo dyke swarm in detail. The dyke swarm fans at its northern and southern ends, and is affected by N60° sinistral transcurrent faults. After restoration of these offsets, the full structure trends in a N–S direction. Small dykes are not imaged, and only one-third of the swarm is evidenced by magnetism. Gravity and magnetic modelling shows that the swarm overlies a single N–S elongated magma chamber.
  The distribution of K _max inclinations of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) suggests that the dykes display a fanning magma flow in section. Computed K _max inclinations are usually shallower than the measured geological dips, probably because the flow becomes more disturbed as the dyke becomes shallower. We observe that the mean susceptibility values increase when the magma flow is steeper than about 70°.
  A detailed cross-section of St Briac dyke, which is part of the St Malo dyke swarm, reveals that the main carrier of magnetization is magnetite in the centre of the dyke and magnetite + maghaemite on its rims. The emplacement of the St Malo dyke swarm could have been contemporaneous with the N60° shearing which displaced the dyke swarm by about 20  km. The dyke swarm is cut at its southern end by an E–W-orientated fault which probably acted during Late Carboniferous times.     

Finite-difference modelling of magnetotelluric fields in two-dimensional anisotropic media

An algorithm for the numerical modelling of magnetotelluric fields in 2-D generally anisotropic block structures is presented. Electrical properties of the individual homogeneous blocks are described by an arbitrary symmetric and positive-definite conductivity tensor. The problem leads to a coupled system of partial differential equations for the strike-parallel components of the electromagnetic field. E _x, and H _x These equations are numerically approximated by the finite-difference (FD) method, making use of the integro-interpolation approach. As the magnetic component H _x, is constant in the non-conductive air, only equations for the electric mode are approximated within the air layer. The system of linear difference equations, resulting from the FD approximation, can be arranged in such a way that its matrix is symmetric and band-limited, and can be solved, for not too large models, by Gaussian elimination. The algorithm is applied to model situations which demonstrate some non-trivial phenomena caused by electrical anisotropy. In particular, the effect of 2-D anisotropy on the relation between magnetotelluric impedances and induction arrows is studied in detail.     

Experimental study of the anisotropy of longitudinal and transverse waves from local earthquake records

Summary. The paper gives the results of a study of the anisotropy of seismic wave velocities within the Ashkhabad test field in Central Asia. The anisotropy was studied by analysing variations in the values of apparent velocities of first arrivals for epicentral distances ranging from 30 to 130 km and by analysing the delays (Δ t_s1-_s2 ) between the arrival times of shear waves with different polarizations.
The velocities of P -waves vary with azimuth from 5.3 to 6.27 km s^-1 and the velocities of S -waves vary from 3.15 to 3.5 km s^-1.
The delay times Δ t_S1 - _S2 depend on the direction of the propagation. The character of the variation of the propagation velocity of the longitudinal wave, the presence of two differently polarized shear waves S 1 and S 2 propagating at different velocities, and the character of the distribution of Δ t_S1 - _S2 on the stereogram suggest that the symmetry of the anisotropic medium is close to hexagonal with a nearly horizontal symmetry axis coinciding with the direction of maximal velocity. The azimuth of the symmetry axis of the medium is 140° and coincides with the direction of geological faults.     

祁连山东段半干旱区黄土磁组构及其环境意义

1 IntroductionM agnetic fabric is the basic character and the im portant trait for m agnetic m inerals insedim entary rocks.Ithas been w idely used in geologicaland environm entalinvestigations in thepastdecades (Ress,1965;Rolph,1989;Sagnotti,1998;Raposo,…     

Paleoenvironmental significance investigation of loess magnetic fabric in a semiarid region

Here we report our recent magnetic fabric investigation of loess deposition in Shagou section, located at the northeastern Qilian Mountains, the northeastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau. On the basis of environmental magnetism data, we indicate that the variation of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) parameters, especially the foliation (F) and degree of anisotropy (P), might be more sensitive to the environmental change in the arid and semiarid regions than the magnetic susceptibility fluctuation. During the investigated interval, from 0.83 to 0.128 Ma, most of the middle to late Pleistocene significant climate change can be unraveled by the AMS parameters, such as the strengthening of cold/dry climate, the step drying event occurred nearly 250 ka, and the severe environmental change in MIS16. Our results also suggest that there is strong correlation between median diameter (Md) of grain size, F, and P. We propose that the AMS parameters can act as an important paleoenvironmental change indicator in the arid and semiarid regions.