Paleomagnetic record of a geomagnetic field reversal from late Miocene mafic intrusions, southern Nevada

Journal Article · Fri Oct 21 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.266.5184.412· OSTI ID:86541

Ratcliff, C D; Geissman, J W ^[1]; Perry, F V; Crowe, B M ^[2]; Zeitler, P K ^[3]

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1. Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
3. Lehigh Univ., Bethelehem, PA (United States)

Late Miocene (about 8.65 million years ago) mafic intrusions and lava flows along with remagnetized host rocks from Paiute Ridge, southern Nevada, provide a high-quality paleomagnetic record of a geomagnetic field reversal. These rocks yield thermoremanent magnetizations with declinations of 227{degrees} to 310{degrees} and inclinations of -7{degrees} to 49{degrees}, defining a reasonably continuous virtual geomagnetic pole path over west-central Pacific longitudes. Conductive cooling estimates for the intrusions suggest that this field transition, and mafic magmatism, lasted only a few hundred years. Because this record comes principally from intrusive rocks, rather than sediments or lavas, it is important in demonstrating the longitudinal confinement of the geomagnetic field during a reversal.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 86541
• Journal Information: Science, Journal Name: Science Journal Issue: 5184 Vol. 266; ISSN SCIEAS; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
EARTH PLANET
GEOMAGNETIC FIELD
MAGNETIC FIELD REVERSAL
PALEOMAGNETISM