Selection of Basalts for Paleointensity Studies

Abstract

The selection of basalt samples for the determination of paleointensity, proposed by SENANAYAKE et al. (1982) based mainly on the low-temperature susceptibility variation, may not be adequate for the purpose. Besides the Type 2 basalts in their classification, the magnetic mineral Fe2.9Ti0.1O4 (TM10), which occurs commonly in basalts, also shows an increase in the susceptibility at low temperatures. It is shown that these two could be distinguished from each other by using an extra criterion like coercive force or Curie temperature and the TM10 bearing basalts, not quite suitable for paleointensity measurements, could be separated. © 1986, Society of Geomagnetism and Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences. All rights reserved.