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Geomagnetic Events and Relative Paleointensity Records — Clues to High-Resolution Paleomagnetic Chronostratigraphies of Late Quaternary Marine Sediments?

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Use of Proxies in Paleoceanography

Abstract

Magnetochronostratigraphies of marine sediment series are generally determined by correlating the polarity pattern derived from their natural remanent magnetization (NRM) to a geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) inferred from dated marine magnetic anomaly lineations. With regard to the Quaternary, this conventional method can only provide a poor resolution as even the latest available GPTS comprises but a few reversals for this time interval. Numerous recent paleomagnetic studies have revealed supplementary prominent NRM features in marine sedimentary deposits, namely (1) recurrent abrupt changes in stable remanent directions documenting a succession of several geomagnetic events within the Brunhes Chron and (2) conspicuous variations in NRM intensity normalized to the concentration of magnetic minerals (the so-called relative paleointensity) which were attributed to pronounced fluctuations in Earth’s paleofield strength. Detailed records of both phenomena are presented here for late Quaternary sediments recovered on the Ceará Rise in the western equatorial Atlantic. Based on an oxygen isotope age model, that was further refined by orbital tuning and sub-Milankovitch correlations of continuous magnetic susceptibility logs, the polarity and normalized intensity time series indicate repeated full reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field configuration during the last about 380 kyr associated with distinct changes in relative paleointensity. The data sets are discussed as primary proxies to unravel the geomagnetic field history and reviewed in their perspectives and deficiencies to develop a high-resolution magnetostratigraphic framework for the late Quaternary. They also substantially contribute to the basic understanding of NRM acquisition processes in marine sediments summarized in a model outlining their temporal and spatial variability as function of sediment lithology.

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  1. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Postfach 33 04 40, D-28334, Bremen, Germany

    U. Bleil & T. von Dobeneck

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  1. U. Bleil
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  2. T. von Dobeneck
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  1. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße, D-28359, Bremen, Germany

    Gerhard Fischer  & Gerold Wefer  & 

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Bleil, U., von Dobeneck, T. (1999). Geomagnetic Events and Relative Paleointensity Records — Clues to High-Resolution Paleomagnetic Chronostratigraphies of Late Quaternary Marine Sediments?. In: Fischer, G., Wefer, G. (eds) Use of Proxies in Paleoceanography. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58646-0_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58646-0_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-63681-3

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