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    GY305 Lecture3 Geomagnetics

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    tarek mahmoud
    This document discusses topics in geomagnetics including the Earth's magnetic field, paleomagnetism, and calculations involving paleomagnetic data. It covers how the Earth's geographic and magnetic poles do not coincide and how the magnetic poles have wandered over time. It also discusses how measurements of paleomagnetic reversals in oceanic crust can be used to calculate seafloor spreading rates. Examples are provided for calculating paleolatitude, paleomagnetic pole position, and presenting the calculations in a spreadsheet.

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    GY305 Lecture3 Geomagnetics

    Uploaded by

    tarek mahmoud
    36 views22 pages
    This document discusses topics in geomagnetics including the Earth's magnetic field, paleomagnetism, and calculations involving paleomagnetic data. It covers how the Earth's geographic and magnetic poles do not coincide and how the magnetic poles have wandered over time. It also discusses how measurements of paleomagnetic reversals in oceanic crust can be used to calculate seafloor spreading rates. Examples are provided for calculating paleolatitude, paleomagnetic pole position, and presenting the calculations in a spreadsheet.

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    This document discusses topics in geomagnetics including the Earth's magnetic field, paleomagnetism, and calculations involving paleomagnetic data. It covers how the Earth's geographic and magnetic poles do not coincide and how the magnetic poles have wandered over time. It also discusses how measurements of paleomagnetic reversals in oceanic crust can be used to calculate seafloor spreading rates. Examples are provided for calculating paleolatitude, paleomagnetic pole position, and presenting the calculations in a spreadsheet.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    36 views22 pages

    GY305 Lecture3 Geomagnetics

    Uploaded by

    tarek mahmoud
    This document discusses topics in geomagnetics including the Earth's magnetic field, paleomagnetism, and calculations involving paleomagnetic data. It covers how the Earth's geographic and magnetic poles do not coincide and how the magnetic poles have wandered over time. It also discusses how measurements of paleomagnetic reversals in oceanic crust can be used to calculate seafloor spreading rates. Examples are provided for calculating paleolatitude, paleomagnetic pole position, and presenting the calculations in a spreadsheet.

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    Geomagnetics

    { Including paleomagnetism
     Magnetic Poles
     Magnetic Declination
     Polar Wandering
     Paleomagnetism
     Spreading Rates calculated from paleomagnetic 
    stripes

    Topics to be covered…
    Earth’s magnetic field varies 
    widely
    • Earth’s geographic and magnetic 
    poles do not coincide
    • The angular azimuth variation is 
    termed declination
    • The position of the magnetic 
    poles relative to geographic poles 
    varies over time 
    • Note that the positive “North” 
    end of a compass magnet seeks 
    the negative (south)  pole of the 
    Earth
    • A magnet aligning itself with 
    Earth’s magnetic field has a 
    steeper inclination at higher 
    latitude
    Global Declination Values
    Solar Wind and the Magnetosphere

    • Variations in the 
    Solar Wind may 
    affect the strength 
    and orientation of 
    the Geomagnetic 
    field
    • The overall shape of 
    the Geomagnetic 
    field is controlled by 
    the Solar Wind
    Origin of the 
    Magnetic Field

    • Produced by convection 
    “rolls” in the liquid metallic 
    outer core
    Magnetic Polar Wandering Path

    • Although the magnetic pole 
    wanders it does not move far 
    from geographic pole
    • Variations are due to 
    pertubations in flow regime 
    in the outer core
    • Paleomagnetic poles that plot 
    at low latitudes are the result 
    of plate tectonic rotations
    Paleomagnetic Polar Wandering

    • Paleo‐Polar Wandering over wide geographic areas is only 
    apparent‐ the true pole position never strays far from the 
    geographic pole
    • The actual reason for Paleo‐Polar Wandering is plate tectonic 
    motions
    • Latitude migration changes the apparent  latitude of the 
    paleo‐pole
    • Longitude migration around a rotation axis non‐parallel to 
    the magnetic pole axis will shift the apparent  longitude
    • Plate rotation will change the apparent position of the 
    paleo‐pole 
    South African Apparent Polar Wandering Paleozoic 
    through Mesozoic

    • Left Diagram: raw data uncorrected
    • Right Diagram: corrected  for deformation, 
    etc.
    Apparent Wandering Paths and Past Tectonic Motion
    • Because Plates are constantly changing their relative positions each 
    has a unique path
    • If continents are fitted to original Pangean configuration the paths 
    coincide
    Paleomagnetism and Seafloor Spreading
    Magnetic Reversals
    • Over time the Earth’s 
    magnetic field polarity can 
    reverse
    • Reversals have occurred 
    many times over the past 
    several million years
    • Models predict that the 
    reversal may occur as 
    rapidly as 24‐48 hours
    Causes of Magnetic Field 
    Reversals

    • Reversals may be inherently chaotic as predicted by certain 
    computer models of a liquid outer core
    • Reversals may be triggered by impact events disrupting the flow 
    regime in the outer core
    • Subduction of oceanic slabs may disrupt flow in the outer core
    • Extreme sun spot activity may disrupt the ionosphere
    Effects of Geomagnetic Reversals
    • Several scientists have hypothesize that prominent reversals 
    correlate with extinction events
    • Disappearance of the magnetic field would allow more 
    ionizing radiation to penetrate the atmosphere
    • The lack of a Van Allen belt would allow the solar wind to 
    gradually erode the atmosphere
    • The periodicity of reversals appears random over time
    • Besides the increase in radiation there is no known negative 
    effect on biological activity associated with a lack of 
    magnetic field
    Calculation of Spreading Rates from 
    Paleomagnetic Reversals

    Given: A map of the seafloor with the  Ridge 1.0 Ma


    boundary between paleomagnetic 
    “stripes” dated by radiometric analysis.  
    Measurement of map yields a distance of  positive negative
    50 km and a date of 1.0 Ma.
    50 km

    Find: Spreading rate at ocean ridge in cm/year.

    rate = 50km/1.0Ma = 5x106cm/1x106year = 5cm/year


    Calculation of 
    Paleomagnetic Latitude

    • P is the position of a magnetite‐bearing 
    basalt, B is the total field at P, I is the angle 
    of inclination, Hθ and Zr are the horizontal 
    and vertical components of the total field
    • O is the center of the earth

    Tan I  =  2 tan λ

    Where λ is the paleolatitude of the basalt 


    flow
    Calculation of Paleo‐Pole 
    Latitude & Longitude

    • D is the measured remnant declination
    • λ P is the latitude of the paleo‐pole
    • λ X is the latitude of the present sample location
    • λ is the paleolatitude of the sample

    Sin λ P  = sin(λ X ) * sin (λ)  +  cos(λ X) * cos(λ) * cos (D)

    Sin (φ P ‐ φ X )= cos(λ) * sin (D)


    cos (λ P)              if sin λ ≥ sin(λ P) * sin(λ X)

    Sin (180 + φ P ‐ φ X )= cos(λ) * sin (D)


    cos (λ P)              if sin λ < sin(λ P) * sin(λ X)
    Example Calculation for Paleolatitude

    Magnetic measurements on a basalt flow presently 
    at (47N, 20E) yielded an angle of inclination of 30˚ 
    on the remnant magnetization. 

    Tan I  = 2 tan λ

    λ = tan ‐1 (tan 30/2)

    λ  =  16.1

    Therefore, when the basalt was erupted it 
    was at latitude 16.1N. 
    Example Calculation for Paleo‐Pole Position

    Using previous example basalt location of (47N, 20E) with measured 
    declination D= 80˚,  and calculated λ = 16.1˚

    Sin λ P  = sin(47) * sin(16) + cos(47) * cos(16.1) * cos(80)

    λ P  = 18.45°N

    Sin (16.1) >= Sin(18) * Sin(47)
    0.277  >=  0.231 
    Sin (φ P ‐ φ X )= cos(16.1) * sin (80)
    cos (18.45)

    φ P ‐ φ X = 85.94˚  therefore φ P = 105.9°E


    Example Spreadsheet Layout for Paleo‐
    Latitude & Paleo‐ Magnetic Pole Position 
    Calculation
    Paleolatitude and PaleoPole 
    Calculations

    Sample Latitude (lX): 47.00 degrees


    Sample Longitude (jX): 20.00 degrees
    Inclination (I): 30.00 degrees
    Declination (D): 80.00 degrees

    Paleo‐Latitude: l= 16.10211375 degrees

    Sin(Mag. Pole Latitude): Sin(lP)= 0.316622744 unitless

    Magnetic Pole Latitude: lP = 18.45880521 degrees

    Sin(l)= 0.277350098 sin(lP)*sin(lX)= 0.231563

    Sin(fP‐fX)= 0.99749211 (jP‐jX)= 85.9413397 fP= 105.94


    Sin(180+fP‐fX)= 0.99749211 (180+fP‐fX)= 85.9413397 fP= ‐74.06

    Magnetic Pole Longitude 
    (fP): 105.94 degrees
    Changes in the Paleomagnetic “Stripe” Trend

    Changes in the trend of paleomagnetic stripes may indicate subduction of 
    pre‐existing triple points

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