Full Vector Magnetic Field Record from the Big Pine Volcanic Field, California
Mentor 1
Julie Bowles
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
24-4-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
24-4-2015 3:45 PM
Description
Paleomagnetism is the study of properties of magnetic rocks. Studying magnetic rocks opens a doorway into understanding the variations of Earth’s magnetic field, and the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates throughout geologic history. The study of paleomagnetism recovers the direction of the Earth’s field as well as the more elusive field intensity. Without field intensity, the models of global field behavior are incomplete. In an attempt to create a more comprehensive magnetic explanation of the field area in the American West, the Big Pine Volcanic Field near Bishop, California was chosen as the field area. There is little intensity data available for the region. Also, research conducted in 2008 dated the volcanoes at this field site, which complements our paleomagnetic research. / / We employed several methods to isolate the direction and intensity of the Earth’s field as was acquired at the time that the lavas cooled and solidified. Such methods include alternating field demagnetization, thermal demagnetization, and paleointensity experiments. Through alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments, the goal is to remove the natural magnetization in a step-by-step process, isolating the direction of the Earth’s field in which they were originally magnetized. During paleointensity experiments specimens are re-magnetized to understand how magnetization intensity varies with an applied field similar to that of the Earth. The compilation of results from the alternating field, thermal demagnetization, and paleointensity experiments will provide a clearer history of how Earth’s field has varied over the past 30,000 to 1 million years. /
Full Vector Magnetic Field Record from the Big Pine Volcanic Field, California
Union Wisconsin Room
Paleomagnetism is the study of properties of magnetic rocks. Studying magnetic rocks opens a doorway into understanding the variations of Earth’s magnetic field, and the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates throughout geologic history. The study of paleomagnetism recovers the direction of the Earth’s field as well as the more elusive field intensity. Without field intensity, the models of global field behavior are incomplete. In an attempt to create a more comprehensive magnetic explanation of the field area in the American West, the Big Pine Volcanic Field near Bishop, California was chosen as the field area. There is little intensity data available for the region. Also, research conducted in 2008 dated the volcanoes at this field site, which complements our paleomagnetic research. / / We employed several methods to isolate the direction and intensity of the Earth’s field as was acquired at the time that the lavas cooled and solidified. Such methods include alternating field demagnetization, thermal demagnetization, and paleointensity experiments. Through alternating field and thermal demagnetization experiments, the goal is to remove the natural magnetization in a step-by-step process, isolating the direction of the Earth’s field in which they were originally magnetized. During paleointensity experiments specimens are re-magnetized to understand how magnetization intensity varies with an applied field similar to that of the Earth. The compilation of results from the alternating field, thermal demagnetization, and paleointensity experiments will provide a clearer history of how Earth’s field has varied over the past 30,000 to 1 million years. /
