Rock magnetism and the reversal of the geomagnetic field

Summary The present paper deals with the inverse polarization of rocks. At present there are two schools of thought to explain the inverse polarization. On the one hand, it is assumed that the geomagnetic field might have been reversed in those periods, when the rock formations took place. On the other it is advocated that it might be due to some intrinsic property of the rocks. To distinguish between the two theories, the author has studied the thermal demagnetization of a large number of rock samples from the Isle of Mull and has come to the conclusion that the inverse polarization is not due to an intrinsic property of the rocks as suggested byNéel, but to the reversal of the geomagnetic field. Some experimental details are also described in the paper.