Time dependent IRM acquisition as a tool to quantify the abundance of ultrafine superparamagnetic magnetite in loessic soils

The time dependence of Isothermal Remanent Magnetization acquisition (tIRM) is a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive way to quantify the presence of ultrafine ferrimagnetic grains straddling the superparamagnetic–single domain grain size boundary, well suited for use in small rock magnetic laboratories. The technique is very selective to the presence of grains with a diameter of approximately 25 nm, and tIRM results correlate well with measurements of frequency dependent susceptibility without the need of correcting for the presence of paramagnetic minerals. A simple IRM acquisition model can be used to obtain quantitative abundance estimates for these ultrafine magnetic grains. Application of tIRM measurements to eleven soil profiles from the Midwestern United States shows that the abundance of ultrafine particles increases with precipitation, as long as the mean annual precipitation is below 850 mm a⁻¹. Sites that developed under more humid conditions show a decrease in tIRM and likely SP abundance, probably caused by increased iron reduction and translocation during more common periods of reducing conditions.