Magnetic techniques applied to the study of rock varnish

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i006p00787· OSTI ID:6148414

Clayton, J A; Verosub, K L ^[1]; Harrington, C D ^[2]

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1. Univ. of California, Davis (USA)
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (USA)

The authors report the successful application of magnetic techniques to the study of rock varnish, a surficial coating that forms on rocks in arid environments. Using thin wafers of varnished and unvarnished greywacke sandstone, they have detected a stable remanent magnetization that can be unambiguously attributed to the rock varnish. They have also measured several rock magnetic properties of the rock varnish and have shown that the primary magnetic carrier is either magnetite or maghemite. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying magnetic techniques to the study of geomorphic surfaces. Subsequent rock magnetic and paleomagnetic studies of rock varnish should provide new information about the geochemical processes involved in the formation of rock varnish and about the validity of a new chronological technique known as rock varnish dating.

• OSTI ID: 6148414
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Vol. 17:6; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
COVERINGS
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
SANDSTONES
AGE ESTIMATION
ARID LANDS
GEOCHEMISTRY
IRON OXIDES
MAGNETITE
MANGANESE OXIDES
MEASURING METHODS
PALEOMAGNETISM
THICKNESS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DIMENSIONS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON ORES
MAGNETISM
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS
MINERALS
ORES
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
580000* - Geosciences