Burial, claystones remagnetization and some consequences for magnetostratigraphy

Abstract

We investigate the broad lines of magnetic mineral formation for non-metamorphic claystones. More particularly, we focus on the formation of magnetite from c. 20 day-experiments aiming to reproduce burial conditions. It is shown that the sole action of temperature from 50 °C to 250 °C leads to the formation of magnetite. The neoformed magnetites carry a chemical remanent magnetization which equates at least the natural remanent magnetization. We propose a schematic of burial with three magnetic windows where a chemical remanent magnetization superimposed the natural remanent magnetization. These are the greigite window (subsurface), the magnetite window (depth > 2 km) and the pyrrhotite window (depth > 6 km). The formation of magnetic minerals has profound consequences for the magnetostratigraphy record. We propose a conceptual model that shows that the continuous production of magnetite during burial may result in magnetozones that have no relation to the age of the sediment. © The Geological Society of London 2012.