Geomagnetic Reversals during the Phanerozoic

An antalysis of worldwide paleomagnetic measurements suggests a periodicity of 350 x 10(6) years in the polarity of the geomagnetic field. During the Mesozoic it is predominantly normal, whereas during the Upper Paleozoic it is predominantly reversed. Although geomagnetic reversals occur at different rates throughout the Phanerozoic, there appeaars to be no clear correlation between biological evolutionary rates and reversal frequency.     

East pacific rise crest: a near-bottom geophysical profile

A deep-towed magnetometer profile made across the East Pacific Rise crest shows many anomalies with about 1000-gamma amplitudes and 500-meter wavelengths and has larger amplitude changes corresponding to magnetic field reversals. This profile across contacts between normal and reversely magnetized crustal blocks is interpreted to place an upper limit of 4700 years on the time required for field reversals and an upper limit of 280 meters on the width of the intrusion center at the rise crest. This intrusion center may occasionally shift several kilometers laterally with respect to the rise axis. The magnetometer records are compatible with the hypothesis that the magnetic field has undergone many fluctuations of short period and small intensity in the past 2 million years. Sediment accumulation increases from less than 2 meters at the rise crest axis to about 20 meters at the western end and 10 meters at the eastern end of the profile. This increase in accutmiulation appears to be the result of ocean-floor spreading.     

Episodes of aleutian ridge explosive volcanism

Earlier workers have overlooked deep-sea bentonite beds when unraveling the Cenozoic volcanic history of an area. In the North Pacific, identification of Miocene and older volcanic episodes is possible only if both altered (bentonite) and unaltered ash beds are recognized. Our study, which includes bentonite beds, shows that volcanism on the Aleutian Ridge and Kamchatka Peninsula has been cyclic. Volcanic activity seems to have increased every 2.5 x 10(6) years for the past 10 x 10(6) years and every 5.0 x 10(6) years for the time span from 10 to 20 x 10(6) years ago. The middle and late Miocene and the Quaternary were times of greatly increased volcanic activity in the North Pacific and elsewhere around the Pacific Basin. The apparent absence of a volcanic record before the late Miocene at Deep Sea Drilling Project site 192 is the result not of plate motion, as suggested by Stewart and by Ninkovich and Donn, but rather of the diagenesis of ash layers. Major, apparently global volcanic episodes occurred at least twice in the last 20 x 10(6) years. Yet, only one major glacial epoch (the Pleistocene) has occurred. Therefore, even though glaciation coincided with an increase in Quaternary volcanism, the increased volcanism itself may not have been the primary cause of global cooling.     

Aeromagnetic and radio echo ice-sounding measurements show much greater area of the dufek intrusion, antarctica

A combined aeromagnetic and radio echo ice-sounding survey made in 1978 in Antarctica over the Dufek layered mafic intrusion suggests a minimum area of the intrusion of about 50,000 square kilometers, making it comparable in size with the Bushveld Complex of Africa. Comparisons of the magnetic and subglacial topographic profiles illustrate the usefulness of this combination of methods in studying bedrock geology beneath ice-covered areas. Magnetic anomalies range in peak-to-through amplitude from about 50 nanoteslas over the lowermost exposed portion of the section in the Dufek Massif to about 3600 nanoteslas over the uppermost part of the section in the Forrestal Range. Theoretical magnetic anomalies, computed from a model based on the subice topography fitted to the highest amplitude observed magnetic anomalies, required normal and reversed magnetizations ranging from 10(-3) to 10(-2) electromagnetic units per cubic centimeter. This result is interpreted as indicating that the Dufek intrusion cooled through the Curie isotherm during one or more reversals of the earth's magnetic field.     

Voyager 2 radio observations of uranus

Within distances to Uranus of about 6 x 10(6) kilometers (inbound) and 35 x 10(6) kilometers (outbound), the planetary radio astronomy experiment aboard Voyager 2 detected a wide variety of radio emissions. The emission was modulated in a period of 17.24 +/- 0.01 hours, which is identified as the rotation period of Uranus' magnetic field. Of the two poles where the axis of the off-center magnetic dipole (measured by the magnetometer experiment aboard Voyager 2) meets the planetary surface, the one closer to dipole center is now located on the nightside of the planet. The radio emission generally had maximum power and bandwidth when this pole was tipped toward the spacecraft. When the spacecraft entered the nightside hemisphere, which contains the stronger surface magnetic pole, the bandwidth increased dramatically and thereafter remained large. Dynamically evolving radio events of various kinds embedded in these emissions suggest a Uranian magnetosphere rich in magnetohydrodynamic phenomena.     

Eastern Indian 3800-million-year-old crust and early mantle differentiation

Samarium-neodymium data for nine granitic and tonalite gneisses occurring as remnants within the Singhbhum granite batholith in eastern India define an isochron of age 3775 +/- 89 x 10(6) years with an initial (143)Nd/(144)Nd ratio of 0.50798 +/- 0.00007. This age contrasts with the rubidium-strontium age of 3200 x 10(6) years for the same suite of rocks. On the basis of the new samarium-neodynium data, field data, and petrologic data, a scheme of evolution is proposed for the Archean crust in eastern India. The isotopic data provide evidence that parts of the earth's mantle were already differentiated with respect to the chondritic samarium-neodymium ratio 3800 x l0(6) years ago.     

Magnetic Anomalies over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 27{degrees}N

Ten magnetic profiles across the mid-Atlantic ridge near 27 degrees N show trends that are parallel to the ridge axis and symmetrical about the ridge axis. The configuration of magnetic bodies that could account for the pattern supports the Vine and Matthews hypothesis for the origin of magnetic anomalies over oceanic ridges. A polarity-reversal time scale inferred from models for sea-floor spreading in the Pacific-Antarctic ridge and radiometrically dated reversals of the geomagnetic field indicates a spreading rate of 1.25 centimeters per year during the last 6 million years and a rate of 1.65 centimeters per year between 6 and 10 million years ago. A similar analysis of more limited data over the mid-Atlantic ridge near 22 degrees N also indicates a change in the spreading rate. Here a rate of 1.4 centimeters per year appears to have been in effect during the last 5 million years; between 5 and 9 million years ago, an increased rate of 1.7 centimeters per year is indicated. The time of occurrence and relative magnitude of these changes in the spreading rate, about 5 to 6 million years ago and 18 to 27 percent, respectively, accords with the spreading rate change implied for the Juan de Fuca ridge in the northeast Pacific.     

A new theory of lunar magnetism

In the hypothesis advanced here it is supposed that the field, in which rocks at the lunar surface acquired the remanent magnetization found through the Apollo project, arose from permanent magnetization of the deep interior of the moon. This theory involves the assumption that the moon, apart from a surface shell, accreted cold and remained below the Curie point of iron until sometime later than 3 x 10(9) years ago. The magnetization was acquired as the moon formed in a gas sphere in the strong magnetic field of the early sun.     

Rare gases in lunar samples: study of distribution and variafions by a microprobe technique

The rare gas distribution in lunar soil, breccias, and rocks was studied with a micro-helium-probe. Gases are concentrated in grain surfaces and originate from solar wind. Helium-4 concentrations of different mineral components vary by more than a factor of 10 apart from individual fluctuations for each type. Also grains with no detectable helium-4 exist. Titanium-rich components have the highest, calcium-rich minerals the lowest concentrations. The solar wind was redistributed by diffusion. Mean gas layer thicknesses are 10, 6, and 5 microm for helium, neon, and argon respectively. Lithic fragments in breccias contain no solar gases. Glass pitted surfaces of crystalline rocks contain about 10(-2) cubic centimeter of helium-4 per square centimeter. Etched dust grains clearly show spallogenic and radiogenic components. The apparent mean exposure age of dust is approximately 500 x 10(6) years, its potassium-argon age is approximately 3.5 x 10(9) yerars. Cavities of crystalline rocks contain helium-4, radiogenic argon, H(2), and N(2).     

Magnetic Anomalies over the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge

Four magnetic profiles across the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge reveal magnetic anomalies that show trends parallel with the ridge axis and symmetry about the ridge axis. The distribution of bodies that could cause these anomalies supports the Vine and Matthews hypothesis for the generation of patterns of magnetic anomalies associated with the midocean ridge system. The geometry of the bodies accords with the known reversals of the geomagnetic field during the last 3.4 million years, indicating a spreading rate of the ocean floor of 4.5 centimeters per year. If one assume that the spreading rate within 500 kilometers of the ridge axis has been constant, reversals of the geomagnetic field during the last 10.0 million years can be determined. This new, detailed history of field reversals accords with observed anomalies over Reykjanes Ridge in the North Atlantic if a spreading rate of 1 centimeter per year is assumed there.     

Sphene: uranium-lead ages

Uranium-lead ages were measured on 14 samples of sphene from rocks aged from 1000 to 2750 x 10(6) years. All samples gave concordant or nearly concordant ages, the maximum difference between the Pb(206)-U(238) and Pb(207)-Pb(206) ages being 10 percent. Sphene has more concordant ages than has the coexisting zircon in each of seven rocks in which they were compared. Sphene sometimes has greater ages than does coexisting biotite, although in two metamorphic rocks, in which metamorphism was sufficiently intense to cause redistribution of radiogenic strontium-87 between various mineral phases, sphene dates the time of metamorphism rather than of original crystallization of the rocks.     

Soft X-rays from the Cygnus Loop: Interpretation

Two possible interpretations of the recent soft x-ray observation of the Cygnus Loop are discussed. A synchrotron model requires a magnetic field less than 10(-6) gauss and electron energies in excess of 10(14) electron volts. These electrons must either have been reaccelerated or continuously injected into the source for about 50,000 years. The observations are also consistent with the radiation from a hot plasma having the cosmic abundances of the elements. A likely origin for the hot plasma is a blast wave produced by the explosion of a supernova in the interstellar medium. Fitting such a model to the observations implies a kinetic energy release in the explosion of 6x 10(50) ergs for an assumed distance of 770 parsec.     

Magnetic field studies at jupiter by voyager 1: preliminary results

Results obtained by the Goddard Space Flight Center magnetometers on Voyager 1 are described. These results concern the large-scale configuration of the Jovian bow shock and magnetopause, and the magnetic field in both the inner and outer magnetosphere. There is evidence that a magnetic tail extending away from the planet on the nightside is formed by the solar wind-Jovian field interaction. This is much like Earth's magnetosphere but is a new configuration for Jupiter's magnetosphere not previously considered from earlier Pioneer data. We report on the analysis and interpretation of magnetic field perturbations associated with intense electrical currents (approximately 5 x 10(6) amperes) flowing near or in the magnetic flux tube linking Jupiter with the satellite Jo and induced by the relative motion between Io and the corotating Jovian magnetosphere. These currents may be an important source of heating the ionosphere and interior of Io through Joule dissipation.     

Uranium-series dating of sediments from searles lake: differences between continental and marine climate records

One of the major unresolved questions in Pleistocene paleoclimatology has been whether continental climatic transitions are consistent with the glacial delta(18)O marine record. Searles Lake in California, now a dry salt pan, is underlain by sediment layers deposited in a succession of lakes whose levels and salinities have fluctuated in response to changes in climate over the last 3 x 10(6) years. Uraniumseries dates on the salt beds range from 35 x 10(3) to 231x 10(3) years. This range of dates allows identification of lake-sediment horizons that are time correlatives of the boundaries of marine isotope stages from the recent 3/4 boundary back to the 8/9 boundary. The 5/6 boundary coincided with a deepening of the lake, but the analogous 1/2 boundary coincided with desiccation. The 3/4, 4/5, 6/7, 7/8, and 8/9 boundaries correspond in age to horizons that record little or no change in sedimentation or climate. These hydrologic results demonstrate that the continental paleoclimate record at this mid-latitude site does not mimic the marine record.     

High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a circularly polarized laser beam

Nuclei in a fluid subjected to a continuous wave circularly polarized light beam are predicted to experience a static magnetic field proportional to E(+/-) x E(+/-), where E(+/-) is the electric vector of the right or left circularly polarized wave and the dot denotes a time derivative. The field strongly depends on the local electronic structure and is present in all atoms. For an intensity of 10 watts per square centimeter propagating in the direction of the field of a magnetic resonance spectrometer, the general theory presented here predicts shifts of +/- 4 x 10(-8) hertz for protons and +/- 10(-5) hertz for fluorine-19. Larger shifts are predicted if the laser frequency is near an optical absorption.     

Ages, irradiation history, and chemical composition of lunar rocks from the sea of tranquillity

The (87)Rb-(87)Sr internal isochrons for five rocks yield an age of 3.65 +/-0.05 x 10(9) years which presumably dates the formation of the Sea of Tranquillity. Potassium-argon ages are consistent with this result. The soil has a model age of 4.5 x10(9) years, which is best regarded as the time of initial differentiation of the lunar crust. A peculiar rock fragment from the soil gave a model age of 4.44 x 10(9) years. Relative abundances of alkalis do not suggest differential volatilization. The irradiation history of lunar rocks is inferred from isotopic measurements of gadolinium, vanadium, and cosmogenic rare gases. Spallation xenon spectra exhibit a high and variable (131)Xe/(126)Xe ratio. No evidence for (129)I was found. The isotopic composition of solar-wind xenon is distinct from that of the atmosphere and of the average for carbonaceous chondrites, but the krypton composition appears similar to average carbonaceous chondrite krypton.     

Generation and maintenance of gradients in taxonomic diversity

Latitudinal gradients in diversity of organisms represent an equilibrium distribution for at least the last 270 x 10(6) years. Faunas endemic to tropical regions evolved significantly faster than extra-tropical faunas. The latitude-dependent difference in rates of evolution also represents an equilibrium condition for at least the last 270 x 10(6) years and has consequences for paleontological correlation of rocks because the attainable resolution depends on rate of evolution and will thus be greater in tropic regions than in extra-tropical ones.     

Simulations of a quasi-Taylor state geomagnetic field including polarity reversals on the Earth Simulator

High-resolution, low-viscosity geodynamo simulations have been carried out on the Earth Simulator, one of the fastest supercomputers, in a dynamic regime similar to that of Earth's core, that is, in a quasi-Taylor state. Our dynamo models exhibit features of the geodynamo not only in spatial and temporal characteristics but also in dynamics. Polarity reversals occurred when magnetic flux patches at high latitudes moved poleward and disappeared; patches with reversed field at low and mid-latitudes then moved poleward.     

Geomagnetic Polarity Epochs: Sierra Nevada II

Ten new determinations on volcanic extrusions in the Sierra Nevada with potassium-argon ages of 3.1 million years or less indicate that the remanent magnetizations fall into two groups, a normal group in which the remanent magnetization is directed downward and to the north, and a reversed group magnetized up and to the south. Thermomagnetic experiments and mineralogic studies fail to provide an explanation of the opposing polarities in terms of mineralogic control, but rather suggest that the remanent magnetization reflects reversals of the main dipole field of the earth. All available radiometric ages are consistent with this field-reversal hypothesis and indicate that the present normal polarity epoch (N1) as well as the previous reversed epoch (R1) are 0.9 to 1.0 million years long, whereas the previous normal epoch (N2) was at least 25 percent longer.     

Rubidium-strontium age and elemental and isotopic abundances of some trace elements in lunar samples

Data on six lunar crystalline rocks give an apparent Rb-Sr isochron age of 4.42 +/- 0.24 x 10(9) years (95 percent confidence limits) and initial (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio similar to that in a basaltic achondrite. Relationships between K, Rb, Sr, and Ba and depletion of Eu in these samples point to plagioclase separation from the melts that produced these rocks. The abundance of (157)Gd in the three lunar samples is similar to terrestrial abundance within < 0.2 percent, thus setting a limit of < 6 x 10(15) neutrons per square centimeter for the integrated thermal neutron flux difference between lunar and terrestrial materials.