Analysis of the natural remanent magnetization of rocks by measuring the efficiency ratio through alternating field demagnetization spectra

The REM(AF) method is a new tool for the analysis of the origin and alternating field demagnetization coercivity spectra of the remanent magnetization. We applied this method on precambrian Gila diabase sheets from Arizona in order to identify the high coercivity magnetic carrier, and on artificially shocked Rowley Regis basalt from UK in order to analyze the effect of the shock on the natural remanent magnetization. In the Gila diabase the high coercivity magnetic component was identified to be most likely represented by the acicular magnetite (increase in the efficiency ratio in the high coercivity region). In the Rowley Regis basalt, the REM(AF) analysis revealed that comparing to NRM, the shock produced a different distribution of the AF demagnetization coercivity spectra due to the occurrence of the Shock Remanent Magnetization.