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Article
Very rapid geomagnetic field change recorded by the partial remagnetization of a lava flow
Geophysical Research Letters (2010)
  • Scott Bogue, Occidental College
  • Jonathan Glen
Abstract
A new paleomagnetic result from a lava flow with a distinctive, two-part remanence reinforces the controversial hypothesis that geomagnetic change during a polarity reversal can be much faster than normal. The 3.9-m-thick lava (“Flow 20”) is exposed in the Sheep Creek Range (north central Nevada) and was erupted during a reverse-to-normal (R-N) geomagnetic polarity switch at 15.6 Ma. Flow 20 began to acquire a primary thermoremanence while the field was pointing east and down but was soon buried, reheated, and partially-remagnetized in a north-down direction by the 8.2-m-thick flow that succeeded it. A simple conductive cooling calculation shows that the observed remagnetization could not have occurred unless Flow 20 was still warm (about 150°C near its base) when buried and that the 53° change from east-down to north-down field occurred at an average rate of approximately 1°/week, several orders of magnitude faster than typical of secular variation.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2010
Citation Information
Scott Bogue and Jonathan Glen. "Very rapid geomagnetic field change recorded by the partial remagnetization of a lava flow" Geophysical Research Letters Vol. 37 (2010)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/scott_bogue/1/