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An inclusive rock-magnetic and absolute paleointensity survey of the ~ 2-ka-old Xitle volcano (southerly Basin of Mexico) was undertaken to assess the faithfulness of the paleomagnetic log carried by fresh, widely exposed and well-preserved lava flows. Paleomagnetic samples from six lava flows were subjected to paleointensity analysis with a multi-method approach: the Thellier–Coe, IZZI, and multi-specimen methods. Overall mean flow PI values from flows 4–6 obtained by the Thellier-type methods used yielded 68.4 µT (σ = ± 5.6 µT), 63.9 µT (σ = ± 5.8 µT) and 61.5 µT (σ = ± 4.3 µT) for the TC, IZZI, and IZZI with CR correction methods, respectively. Although multi-specimen paleointensity results were, in general, lower than that obtained with the other methods for the same flows, that for Flow 5 (61.8 µT) was very similar to those obtained with the Thellier-type methods. Based on the results obtained, this lava flows sequence could correspond to two eruptive periods; one related with the Xitle volcano (flows 3–6), and another older (flows 1 and 2). The combined archeomagnetic dating of the different flows reinforces this hypothesis, as well as the multi-modal distribution for the age of the Xitle, proposed two decades ago. The application of stricter acceptance criteria and consideration of cooling-rate correction could slightly reduce the scattered observations. The multi-method approach employed under this study, combined with detailed rock-magnetic experiments, may definitively increase the accuracy of paleointensity determinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the magnetic dating results of five independent lava flows belonging to the Ceboruco volcanic field in Jalisco, western Mexico, using the SHADIF14K geomagnetic field prediction model. Five lava flows corresponding to well-documented eruptive events were studied. The ages of these flows have already been established by radiometric methods (C14). In two sites the archaeomagnetic ages coincide with C14 ages previously reported. In one site the archaeomagnetic age is considerably different from the radiocarbon age, possibly due to a discrepancy between one or both of the ages and the actual age of emplacement. For the two remaining lava flows, the paleomagnetic directions were found to be scattered and thus no characteristic remanence was determined. These sites probably underwent some rotation or a later displacement that was unnoticed during the sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xitle volcano is part of the Quaternary Chichinautzin volcanic field, located in the southern portion of the Valley of Mexico. The Xitle lavas were emplaced on the archaeological site of Cuicuilco, one of the first urban settlements of the Preclassic period in Mexico. This eruption had a great impact, since it caused great economic and social changes, favoring the consolidation of Teotihuacan as the dominant city in the Valley of Mexico. Available radiometric studies place the age of the eruption between 4000 to 1500 years BP (before present) and there is evidence that Cuicuilco abandonment was due to an eruption between 200 BC (Before Christ) and 200 AD (Anno Domini/after Christ) without exact definition about the age of this event. Therefore, contributing to the accuracy of the age of the eruption continues to be of great interest. The results of new archaeomagnetic dating of rock samples from a sequence of lava flows from Xitle volcano located within the campus of the University of Mexico (UNAM) campus are presented below. A full geomagnetic vector and the field prediction model SHA.DIF.14K were used for such determinations. Two eruptive periods are identified, the first between 1742 and 1491 BC and the second, related to the eruption of Xitle volcano, between 79 BC and 595 AD. The age of the second period is compatible with the hypothesis of gradual abandonment of Cuicuilco and coincides with the accepted ages for the volcano's most important eruptive period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rock magnetic and paleomagnetic investigation was performed on some selected, radiometrically dated lava flows from the Mascota Volcanic Field (MVF), western Trans- Mexican Volcanic Belt. A set of rock-magnetic experiments and standard paleomagnetic analysis were carried out on 19 sites spanning the time interval from 2268 to 72 kyr. The paleomagnetic directions are anchored to absolute radiometric ages while no such information was available in previous studies. This makes possible to correctly evaluate the fluctuation of Earth's magnetic field from Pliocene to Pleistocene and reveal the firm evidence of possible Levantine excursion. Both Ti-poor and Ti-rich titanomagnetites seem to carry the remanent magnetization with Curie temperatures ranging from 350°C to 537°C. Thirteen flows correspond to the Brunhes chron, one of them exhibits transitional directions, while the remaining six sites belong to the Matuyama chron. New and existing dataset for MVF were used to estimate the paleosecular variation parameters. The selected data include 35 Plio-Quaternary lava flows. After excluding the poor quality data, as well as the transitional directions, the mean paleodeclination is 356.1° and oaleoinclination 39.9°, which agree well with the geocentric axial dipole (GAD) and the expected paleodirections for the Plio-Pleistocene, as derived from the reference poles for the stable North America. The corresponding mean paleomagnetic poles are paleolongitude 226.7° and paleolatitude 86.0°. The virtual geomagnetic pole scatter for the MVF is 15.2°, which is consistent with the value expected from model G at latitude of 20° (this model provides an interpretation of the paleosecular variation at different latitudes for the time of interest). The combined paleomagnetic data, supported by positive reversal test, indicate no paleomagnetically detectable vertical-axis rotations in the study area. The evidence of one transitional directions was detected, which may correspond to the Levantine excursion (360-370 kyr) or unnamed event between 400-420 kyr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Cretaceous may be considered a key period for understanding the evolution of the Earth's magnetic field. Some still unsolved problems are related to the mode of paleosecular variation (PSV) of the Earth's magnetic field before and during the Cretaceous Normal Superchron. We report here a detailed rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic and paleointensity investigation from 28 lava flows (331 standard paleomagnetic cores) collected in the Argentinean part of the Parana Flood Basalts (Formation Posadas) in order to contribute to the study of PSV during the early Cretaceous and to obtain precise Cretaceous paleomagnetic pole positions for stable South America. The average paleofield direction is precisely determined from 26 sites, which show small within-site dispersion and high directional stability. Five sites show evidences for the self-reversal of thermoremanent magnetization. 23 sites yielded normal polarity magnetization and only 3 are reversely magnetized. Moving windows averages were used to analyze the sequential variation of virtual geomagnetic pole's (VGP) axial positions. Interestingly, the axial average VGP path traces an almost complete cycle around the geographical pole and passes near the location of all previously published Paraná Magmatic Province poles. Both paleomagnetic poles and average VGP paths are significantly different from the pole position suggested by fixed hotspot reconstructions, which may be due to true polar wander or the hotspot motion itself. Only 15 samples from 5 individual basaltic lava flows, yielded acceptable paleointensity estimates. The site mean paleointensities range from 25.2 ± 2.2 to 44.0 ± 2.2 µT. The virtual dipole moments (VDMs) range from 4.8 to 9.9 × 10 Am. This correspond to a mean value of 7.7 ± 2.1 × 10 Am which is 96% of the present day geomagnetic field strength. These intensities agree with the relatively high values already reported for Early Cretaceous, which are consistent with some inferences from computer simulations previously published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a detailed rock-magnetic and paleomagnetic investigation on seventeen volcanic units (160 standard paleomagnetic cores) belonging to essentially Plio-Pleistocene Azufres Volcanic Field, located in the central part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Titanium-poor titanomagnetite is responsible for thermoremanence in the most lava flows, while unstable titanomaghemites presumably dominate in the less than half of the analyzed lava flows. The mean paleodirections are calculated for 15 sites, discarding apparently transitional flow and poorly defined (scattered) units yielding Dec = 357.23°, Inc = 38.62°, α 95 = 4.89°, k = 55. These values are concordant with the expected paleodirections derived from the stable North America reference paleomagnetic poles. Secular variation parameters calculated through the dispersion of the site-mean virtual geomagnetic poles and the inclination anomaly are found slightly different to the available models. Within the 17 paleodirections obtained, four lava flows are normally magnetized between 1.14 and 1.23 Ma. These paleodirections may tentatively be assigned to the worldwide observable Cobb Mountain Geomagnetic event (subchron). This presumably short-lived episode seems to be characterized by apparently major duration than previously reported. • Detailed rock-magnetic and paleomagnetic study from Azufres Volcanic Field. • Magnetic mineralogy is dominated by pseudo-single-domain Ti-poor titanomagnetite. • The mean directions calculated for fifteen sites are concordant with the expected paleodirections. • Four lava flows are normally magnetized between 1.14 and 1.23 Ma. • This presumably short-lived episode seems to be characterized by major duration than previously reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goguitchaichvili et al. (Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2020.106641, 2021) reported a detailed rock-magnetic and paleointensity study of a Lesser Caucasus lava sequence comprised between 1.93 ± 0.09 and 1.78 ± 0.11 Ma. Reverse polarity magnetization determined for 20 consecutive lava flows permitted to suggest that the Olduvai subchron is probably disrupted by a short reverse-polarity episode. No paleointensity was obtained because of thermally unstable samples. Here, we report a detailed rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic, and multispecimen parallel differential pTRM absolute paleointensities performed on the nearby parallel Khertvisi lava succession. New isotopic age determinations indicate that the lavas of the Khertvisi section erupted in the Early Pleistocene, at the boundary of Gelasian and Calabrian ages in a time span of 1.88 ± 0.10 to 1.71 ± 0.12 Ma. All lava flows yielded well-defined reverse polarity magnetization with site mean directions Inc. = −56.1°, Dec = 189.5°, N = 20 (lava flows), α 95 = 2.3°, k = 187. These directions are close to the Toloshi mean paleodirections, and both slightly deviate clockwise from the geocentric axial dipole and expected Plio-Quaternary directions. The values of the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) scatter parameters indicate that the studied sequence was formed during a very short time, most probably insufficient to average paleosecular variation. The multispecimen methodology provided a relatively low paleointensity for most analyzed lava flows, comparable to the transitional field intensity in Georgia during the Bruhnes and Matuyama chrons. These results definitively confirm a rather unstable, reverse polarity geomagnetic field regime across the Olduvai normal superchron. Thus, we propose to consider the Khertvisi section as the firm, volcanic evidence of Olduvai's short-lived geomagnetic event. Goguitchaichvili et al. (Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2020.106641 , 2021) reported a detailed rock-magnetic and paleointensity study of the Lesser Caucasus lava sequence comprised between 1.93 ± 0.09 and 1.78 ± 0.11 Ma. Reverse polarity magnetization determined for 20 consecutive lava permitted to suggest that the Olduvai subchron is probably disrupted by a short reversepolarity episode. No paleointensity was obtained because of thermally unstable samples. Here, we report a detailed rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic, and multispecimen parallel differential pTRM absolute paleointensities performed on nearby parallel Khertvisi lava succession. The new isotopic age determinations indicate that the lavas of the Khertvisi section erupted in the Early Pleistocene, at the boundary of Gelasian and Calabrian ages in a time span of 1.88 ± 0.10 to 1.71 ± 0.12 Ma. All lava flows showed well-defined reverse polarity magnetization with site mean directions Inc. = −56.1°, Dec = 189.5°, N = 20 (lavas), α95 = 2.3°, k = 187. These directions are close to the Toloshi mean paleodirections, and both slightly deviate clockwise from the geocentric axial dipole direction and expected Plio-Quaternary directions. The values of the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) scatter parameters indicate that the studied sequence was probably formed during a very short time, most probably insufficient to average paleosecular variation. The multispecimen methodology provided a substantially reduced intensity for 5 out of 6 analyzed lava flows, comparable to transitional field intensity. These results definitively confirm a rather unstable, reverse polarity geomagnetic field regime within the Olduvai normal superchron. Thus, we propose to consider the Khertvisi section as the firm, volcanic evidence of Olduvai's short-lived geomagnetic event. [Display omitted] • A detailed rock-magnetic and paleointensity study of the Lesser Caucasus lava sequence comprised between 1.88 ± 0.10 and 1.71 ± 0.12 Ma. • All lava flows yielded well-defined reverse polarity magnetization. • The sequence was formed during a very short time, insufficient to average paleosecular variation. • The multispecimen methodology provided a relatively low paleointensities. • Unstable, reverse polarity geomagnetic field regime across the Olduvai normal subchron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report 28 successful Thellier type absolute geomagnetic paleointensity determinations from a Pleistocene lava sequence composed of 39 successive flows in the Djavakheti Highland (Lesser Caucasus, Georgia). Additionally, multispecimen technique provided the estimation of geomagnetic field strength for 12 independent cooling units. Paleointensity studies were performed using both Thellier type double heating and multispecimen techniques. Samples selection was mainly based on uni-vectorial remanent magnetization, thermal stability and domain size of the samples. Flow-mean Thellier paleointensity values range from 16.3 ± 5.2 to 71.0 ± 0.3 μT, while intensities obtained using multispecimen approach vary from17.2 ± 2.3 to 69.3 ± 7.9 μT. One of the flows is located near a possible discontinuity in the sequence and yields a rather low Thellier absolute intensity (16.3 ± 5.2) suggesting a transitional regime and the onset of the Matuyama-Olduvai polarity transition, which does not appear on the directional record. Multispecimen paleointensities from the same flow, however, yield higher, close to present day values which makes untenable the hypothesis of occurrence of transitional field. Thus the whole sequence was emplaced in a short time between the Olduvai chron and 1.73 ± 0.03 Ma, as suggested by available radiometric and paleomagnetic data ( Caccavari et al., 2014 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]