High-resolution magnetostratigraphy of four sediment cores from the Greenland Sea–I. Identification of the Mono Lake excursion, Laschamp and Biwa I/Jamaica geomagnetic polarity events

High-resolution magnetostratigraphic analysis of three sediment cores from the base of the volcanic seamount Vesteris Banken in the Greenland Basin and one core from the Jan Mayen Fracture Zone revealed records of three pronounced geomagnetic events within the last 200 ka. Dating by stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis, AMS¹⁴C measurements and biostratigraphic data (foraminifera abundances) yielded ages of 28–27 ka for the Mono Lake excursion, 37–33 ka for the Laschamp event, and 189–179 ka for the Biwa I event. In at least one of the cores the Laschamp event exhibits a full reversal of the local geomagnetic field vector. The same is true of the Biwa I event, documented in one of the cores.     

Magnetostratigraphic results from the eastern Arctic Ocean: AMS 14C ages and relative palaeointensity data of the Mono Lake and Laschamp geomagnetic reversal excursions

A new high-resolution magnetostratigraphic record from the eastern Arctic Ocean has yielded further evidence for the existence of the Laschamp excursion (37–35  ka), the Mono Lake excursion (27–25.5  ka) and possibly another very short excursion (22  ka) inferred from steep negative inclinations. Ages are based on nine AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) ¹⁴C dates, oxygen isotope stratigraphy and correlation with ODP site 983. Estimates of relative palaeointensity variations for the time interval from 80 to 10  ka have revealed that the documented geomagnetic excursions are linked to large fluctuations of the relative palaeointensity. The lowest values were obtained for the two excursions and the normal–reversed (N–R) and reversed–normal (R–N) transitions of the Laschamp polarity excursion, which itself is characterized by a slight increase of relative palaeointensity during its reversed state. The results are in general agreement with palaeointensity studies from other regions, indicating that these fluctuations could be global phenomena and that the geomagnetic field of the Brunhes Chron was very variable in amplitude as well as in geometry. The new result is one of the rare records comprising large directional as well as large relative palaeointensity variations.     

Temporal and three-dimensional spatial analyses of the frequency–magnitude distribution near Long Valley Caldera, California

The 3-D distribution of the b value of the frequency–magnitude distribution is analysed in the seismically active parts of the crust near Long Valley Caldera, California. The seismicity is sampled in spherical volumes, containing N =150 earthquakes and centred at nodes of a grid separated by 0.3  km. Significant variations in the b value are detected, with b ranging from b ≈0.6 to b ≈2.0. High b -value volumes are located near the resurgent dome, and at depths below 5  km at Mammoth Mountain. b values are found to be much lower south of the Long Valley Caldera. We interpret this to indicate that an active magma body has advanced from depths below 8  km to depths of 4 to 5  km beneath Mammoth Mountain in 1989, and that anomalous crust, either highly fractured or containing unusually high pore pressure, such as is the case in the vicinity of active magma bodies, exists north of the seismically active area beneath the resurgent dome at all depths. We also investigate the spatial distribution of temporal variations of the frequency–magnitude distribution by introducing differential b -value maps. b values increased from b ≈0.8 to b ≈1.5 underneath Mammoth Mountain at the onset of the 1989 earthquake swarm and remained high thereafter. This suggests that an intrusion permanently altered the average distribution of cracks at 5–10  km depth, or that the pore pressure permanently increased. We propose that high b values are a necessary (but not sufficient) condition near a magmatic body, and therefore spatial b -value mapping can be used to aid in the identification of active magma bodies.     

Frequency–magnitude statistics and spatial correlation dimensions of earthquakes at Long Valley caldera, California

Intense earthquake swarms at Long Valley caldera in late 1997 and early 1998 occurred on two contrasting structures. The first is defined by the intersection of a north-northwesterly array of faults with the southern margin of the resurgent dome, and is a zone of hydrothermal upwelling. Seismic activity there was characterized by high b -values and relatively low values of D , the spatial fractal dimension of hypocentres. The second structure is the pre-existing South Moat fault, which has generated large-magnitude seismic activity in the past. Seismicity on this structure was characterized by low b -values and relatively high D . These observations are consistent with low-magnitude, clustered earthquakes on the first structure, and higher-magnitude, diffuse earthquakes on the second structure. The first structure is probably an immature fault zone, fractured on a small scale and lacking a well-developed fault plane. The second zone represents a mature fault with an extensive, coherent fault plane.     

The Hanaupah-Fan shoreline deposit at Tule Spring, a gravelly shoreline deposit of Pleisticene Lake Manly, Death Valley, California, USA

The Hanaupah-Fan Shoreline Deposit (HSD) is an as yet undescribed occurrence of shoreline sediments of late Pleistocene Lake Manly in Death Valley, California. It is located in the southern part of Death Valley, at the northeastern periphery of Hanaupah Fan. The HSD is a gently sloping, WSW-ENE elongated ridge, about 600 m long, 165 m wide and 8 m high. Its surface extends from -12 to +28 m in elevation, i.e. it has a vertical range of 40 m. We interpret the deposit as a sediment body that extended from the Hanaupah Fan east into the lake. Rising lake level, and waves approaching both from the north and south eroded fan materials, and produced a sediment body with a complex architecture. Fetch for waves approaching from either direction was about 40 km. The sedimentary inventory consists of cross-stratified gravel beds of various size ranges, dipping towards the north, south, and east, and of horizontal berm gravel beds, and horizontal silt layers. A discordant gravel layer covers the entire surface of the deposit, probably produced by wave action during the last phase of lake regression. This uniform gravel layer forms a surface that is distinctly different from the surrounding fan surfaces. It is relatively fine grained, much better sorted, and densely packed. Rock varnish is very well developed, and imparts a dark color to the surface, which makes it easily recognizable on aerial photographs. No absolute age date is available as yet, but circumstantial evidence places the formation of the deposit at the peak of marine isotope stage 2 (Wisconsinan/Weichsellian glacial maximum)     

Palaeomagnetism of the continental sector of the Cameroon Volcanic Line, West Africa

Measurement of samples from 154 sites in the continental sector of the Cameroon Volcanic Line yielded six palaeomagnetic poles, at 243.6°E, 84.6°N, α ₉₅ = 6.8°; 224.3°E, 81.2°N, α ₉₅ = 8.4°; 176.1°E, 82.0°N, α ₉₅ = 8.5°; 164.3°E, 86.4°N, α ₉₅ = 3.4°; 169.4°E, 82.6°N, α ₉₅ = 4.6° and 174.7°E, 72.8°N, α ₉₅ = 9.5°, belonging to rocks which have been dated by the K–Ar method at 0.4–0.9  Ma, 2.6  Ma, 6.5–11  Ma, 12–17  Ma, 20–24  Ma and 28–31  Ma, respectively. The results are in general agreement with other palaeomagnetic poles from Oligocene to Recent formations in Africa.
  The first three poles for rocks formed between 0.4 and 11  Ma are not significantly different from the present geographical pole. Together with other African poles for the same period, this suggests that the African continent has moved very little relative to the pole since 11  Ma. The other three poles for rocks dated between 12 and 31  Ma are significantly different from the present geographical pole, showing a 5° polar deviation from the present pole in the Miocene and 13° in the Middle Oligocene.     

An Alpine Lacustrine Record of Early Holocene North American Monsoon Dynamics from Dry Lake, Southern California (USA)

Dry Lake (2763 m), located in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, USA, provides a high-resolution climate record from the coastal southwest depicting early Holocene terrestrial climate. 27 AMS ¹⁴C dates and multi-proxy analyses, including magnetic susceptibility, total organic mater, microfossil counts, and grain size, suggest the early Holocene was significantly wetter then present, due to an enhanced North American Monsoon (NAM). Elevated insolation at 9000 cal year B.P., raised summer sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of California and the eastern tropical Pacific, as well as land surface temperatures, extending the NAM into southern California. The data also provide evidence of the 8.2 ka event, which registers as a 300-year cool period characterized by reduced monsoonal precipitation, depressed basin productivity, and increased erosion. We suggest this event is the most likely period for the early to middle Holocene (9000–5000 cal year B.P.) glacial advance in the San Bernardino Mountains proposed by Owen et al. (2003, Geology 31: 729–732).