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A paleointensity study of Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the Western Cordillera, Colombia

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Abstract

The Cretaceous Normal Superchron is a period of great interest to investigate global scale variations of the geomagnetic field. Long periods of single polarity are still a matter of debate: up to now there are two contradicting theories, which try to relate geomagnetic field intensity and reversal rate. We aim to shed light on the geomagnetic field strength during the Cretaceous Normal Superchron because data are still scarce and of dissimilar quality. To obtain reliable, absolute paleointensity determinations we investigate volcanic rocks from the Western Cordillera of Colombia. Several age determinations allow relating the samples to an age of about 92.5 Ma. To characterize the samples, we investigate rock magnetic properties and determine the characteristic remanent magnetization behavior. To determine paleointensities, we use a multimethod approach: first, we apply the classic Thellier-Coe protocol, and then, the relatively new multispecimen method. Rock magnetic measurements indicate magnetite as the main ferrimagnetic mineral, a stable magnetization revealed by reversible and nearly reversible thermomagnetic curves, and grain sizes that are either in the pseudosingle domain range or a mixture of single and multidomain grains. Alternating field and thermal demagnetization are rather complex, although we observe a few vector diagrams with a single, essentially uni-vectorial component with a small viscous overprint. Paleointensity determination with the Thellier-Coe protocol was unsuccessful, while with the multispecimen protocol we obtained four successful determinations out of 20. The failure of the Thellier-Coe protocol can be attributed to multidomain grains, which were observed during demagnetization and in rock magnetic experiments, and to the inhomogeneity of the volcanic rocks. Our multispecimen paleointensity determinations support low field strength at around 90 Ma during the Cretaceous Normal Superchron.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio Interinstitucional de Magnetismo Natural, Instituto de Geofisica, Unidad Michoacan, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México, Campus Morelia, 58190, Morelia, México

    Lisa Kapper, Juan Morales, Avto Goguitchaichvili & Ruben Cejudo Ruiz

  2. National University of Colombia at Manizales, Colombia, Cra 27 # 64-60, Manizales-Caldas, Colombia

    Victoria Mejia

  3. University of Burgos, Plaza Infanta Doña Elena s/n, 09001, Burgos, Spain

    Manuel Calvo-Rathert

  4. National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Av Universidad 3000, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico

    Ana Caccavari

  5. Colombian Geological Service, Carrera 98 N.° 16-00, Cali, Colombia

    Alvaro Nivia Guevara

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  1. Lisa Kapper
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  2. Juan Morales
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  3. Manuel Calvo-Rathert
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  4. Avto Goguitchaichvili
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  5. Victoria Mejia
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  6. Ana Caccavari
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  7. Alvaro Nivia Guevara
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  8. Ruben Cejudo Ruiz
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Kapper, L., Morales, J., Calvo-Rathert, M. et al. A paleointensity study of Cretaceous volcanic rocks from the Western Cordillera, Colombia. Stud Geophys Geod 61, 264–289 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11200-016-0144-x

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