Unveiling Geomagnetic Reversals: Insights From Tipping Points Theory

Abstract

The geomagnetic field shows aperiodic reversals and excursions separated by stable polarity periods. Although the exact mechanisms responsible of reversals are still debated, several models of different complexity have been proposed. Here we use, for the first time, a different and novel approach based on the theory of tipping points to detect and characterize geomagnetic reversals occurred during the period 25–36 millions years ago by using a high-resolution magnetostratigraphic study conducted on a sedimentary section located on Maud Rise in the Southern Ocean. We detect a critical threshold for an early warning indicator of the occurrence of a polarity reversal below which a polarity reversal starts. Through the proper use of this early warning indicator we build up a simple non-autonomous stochastic model to describe the main features of polarity reversals. This approach could be helpful for building up a novel framework for paleomagnetic studies.