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Paleomagnetic results obtained from 38 Pliocene—Pleistocene volcanic flows from the Knot of the Pastos and surroundings of Puracé volcano and Popayán (southwestern Colombia) are presented. Using stringent quality criteria and excluding sites that classify as representatives of transitional states of Earth's field, a selected group of 27 sites (16 with normal polarity and 11 with reversed polarity) was obtained with a mean direction (Dec = 357.8°, Inc = 6.4°, α95 = 7.5° and κ = 15) that coincides with the geocentric axial dipole field (GAD: Dec = 0o, Inc = 3.2o) and, unlike similar studies at similar latitudes, does not coincide with the GAD plus a 5% axial quadrupolar component (Dec = 0°, Inc = −1.08°). However, when serial correlation (SC) among several sites with high inclination anomalies is taken into consideration, the mean direction of two resulting groups of sites shows greater consistency with a field that includes a quadrupolar component. It is interpreted that the sites treated for SC record states of the field similar to today's field in the area of study, which is being affected by the South Atlantic Anomaly. Plain Language Summary: The only way to study Earth's magnetic field in the geologic past from experimental data is by studying the magnetization of rocks that record Earth's field in a way comparable to the way compasses point close to the geographic north. Earth's magnetic field changes are significant in relatively short time‐scales like years or centuries. In this study the paleomagnetic directions recorded in volcanic products from extinct volcanoes of the Colombian Andes were obtained. Most of the volcanic flows record paleomagnetic directions consistent with the ones obtained from previous studies, which in general differ from the present magnetic directions in the area by being less inclined downwards. However, some of the volcanic flows did record paleomagnetic directions that are similar to the present magnetic directions in the area, which have been linked to an ample low magnetic intensity area in the Atlantic Ocean called the South Atlantic Anomaly. So, as it has been pointed out in other studies, it is possible that this anomaly has acted recurrently during the geologic past. Key Points: The mean paleomagnetic direction among the selected sites from Colombia shows consistency with a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) fieldConsistency with a GAD field with a 5% quadrupolar component is obtained when serial correlation is appliedSerially correlated sites are probably affected by the South Atlantic Anomaly, in a way similar to the present field in the study area [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paleodirection and paleointensity of the geomagnetic field are determined from seven andesibasalt–basalt samples of three lava flows (L1–L3) from the Avachinskii (Avacha) volcano. Based on the sample from the recent lava flow TFE-50 (Tolbachik Fissure Eruption), the reliability of the Thellier–Coe method for geomagnetic field paleointensity determination is demonstrated: the deviation of the calculated Han from the IGRF12 values is at most 3% with a quality factor q > 13. The age of lava flows L1–L3 is refined using paleomagnetic data. Flows L1, L2 of the Molodoi Cone were formed in 1827 and 300–600 years ago, respectively, and the age of flow L3 at the crest of the somma is determined at 30–32 ka, which agrees with the known age estimate of the debris avalanche associated with the catastrophic destruction of the Avachinskii volcano 29 900 ± 37 900 14C years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cretaceous Normal Superchron (CNS, 84–121 Ma) is a singular period of the geodynamo's history, identified by a prolonged absence of polarity reversals. To better characterize the paleosecular variation (PSV) of the geomagnetic field at the end of this interval, we sampled seven continuous sequences of lava flows from the Okhotsk‐Chukotka Volcanic Belt, emplaced 84–89 Ma in the vicinity of the Kupol ore deposit (NE Russia). From a collection of 1,024 paleomagnetic cores out of 82 investigated lava flows, we successfully determined the paleodirections of 78 lava flows, which led to 57 directional groups after removing the serial correlations. The resulting paleomagnetic pole is located at 170.0°E, 76.8°N (A95 = 5.2°, N = 57), in good agreement with previous estimates for north‐eastern Eurasia. Aiming at quantifying PSV at a reconstructed paleolatitude (λ) of ∼80°N, we obtained a virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) scatter Sb=21.5°|19.3°24.0°(N=57) ${{S}_{\mathrm{b}}=21.5{}^{\circ}\vert }_{19.3{}^{\circ}}^{24.0{}^{\circ}}\,(N=57)$, the value of which was corrected for within‐site dispersion and is little dependent on the choice of the selection criteria. Compared to previous paleodirectional data sets characterizing PSV at various paleolatitudes during the CNS, our Sb estimate confirms a relative latitudinal increase Sb(λ = 90°)/Sb(λ = 0°) on the order of 2–2.5. Focusing on PSV at high paleolatitude within the 70°–90° range, we show that Sb was ∼15% lower at the end of the CNS than during the past 10 Myr, confirming that the singular polarity regime of the geodynamo observed during the CNS is likely accompanied with reduced PSV. Plain Language Summary: Compared to the last 10 million years during which Earth's magnetic field stochastically reversed its polarity ∼4 times per million year, the Cretaceous Normal Superchron (CNS, 84–121 Ma) represents an anomalously long period of stable polarity, the understanding of which is crucial to constrain the working of the geodynamo. In this effort to better characterize the paleosecular variation (PSV) of the geodynamo, we investigated the paleomagnetic record of lava flow sequences from the Okhotsk‐Chukotka Volcanic Belt (NE Russia) emplaced 84–89 Ma at high paleolatitude. First, we obtained that the dispersion of virtual paleomagnetic poles (VGP), used as a proxy for PSV, is 2–2.5 times as high at the paleopole as at the paleoequator. Second, we showed that VGP scatter at high paleolatitude was ∼15% lower at the end of the CNS than during the last 10 million years, confirming a potential link between polarity regime and PSV. Key Points: We investigate geomagnetic field behavior at high paleolatitude (∼80°N) at the end of the Cretaceous Normal Superchron (CNS)We present a paleodirectional data set from 78 lava flows (resp. 57 directional groups), emplaced 84–89 Ma in north‐eastern EurasiaWe show that the dispersion of virtual geomagnetic poles at high latitude is ∼15% lower during the CNS than for the past 10 Myr [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In small‐volume igneous intrusions, the duration of magmatism can be difficult to determine because assembly of an intrusion from component magma pulses may occur within geochronologic uncertainties. We demonstrate that the paleomagnetic record of short‐term movement of the geomagnetic pole (secular variation) can place constraints on the duration of intrusion assembly over shorter time periods. An analysis of 14C data paired with paleomagnetic data from lava flows illustrates this approach. The flows record paleosecular variation that, when combined with the maximum rate of secular variation from the Holocene, returns a minimum time elapsed between any two flows. Data from an Oligocene laccolith indicate that this system records a minimum of 49° of secular variation and therefore took at least 750 years to be emplaced. High‐precision radiometric geochronology would be unable to resolve this assembly, suggesting that the paleosecular variation record in shallow igneous rocks contains valuable temporal constraints on upper crustal magmatism. Key Points: The record of paleosecular variation of upper crustal intrusions can provide a minimum estimate of the duration of igneous emplacementThis record can potentially constrain the duration of emplacement at a finer resolution than radiometric geochronologyThe technique relies on assuming a rate of paleosecular variation during igneous emplacement [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]

Recent paleomagnetic results of extrusive rocks from high southern latitudes (>60°S) and high northern latitudes (>60°N) have been suggested to reflect a hemispheric asymmetry of the geomagnetic field on time-scales of 10 5 to 10 6 yrs, with higher and more stable fields in the north. This interpretation, however, is based on only a few modern-standard paleodirectional data sets and on high northern stable field paleointensity data of rocks that are mainly younger than 100 kyr. The sparsity of modern-standard data questions the validity (and age range) of this potential geomagnetic asymmetry. In 2013 and 2014, we sampled basaltic lava flows in Jökuldalur, north-eastern Iceland, to obtain high-standard paleodirectional and paleointensity data at relatively high-northern latitudes (65.2°N). On average, we sampled >15 cores per site at 51 sites of predominantly Matuyama age. Complete demagnetization was carried out on all samples using AF or thermal demagnetization. We present 45 distinct paleomagnetic directions based on overall N > 10 ChRMs per site and α 95 < 3.5 ° . We obtain a mean direction of D = 355.7 ° , I = 76.3 ° , and α 95 = 3.2 for N = 45 sites that is not significantly different from a GAD field. The resulting 45 VGPs distribute around the North Pole, and the global mean paleomagnetic pole ( λ ¯ = 87.8 ° , ϕ ¯ = 224.3 ° ) is coincident with the North Pole within the α 95 confidence limit. We calculate a VGP dispersion S B ( M a t ) = 20.5 23.3 17.8 and an average inclination anomaly Δ I = − 0.91 ° 2.94 − 4.88 for our 38 Matuyama age data. The dispersion S B overall supports the interpretation of a dependence of S B on latitude during the Matuyama, while the negligible Δ I suggests little deviation from a GAD field. Based on relatively strict cut-off criteria we also present six new field strength estimates from the time interval ∼1.2–1.83 Ma, thus filling a large data gap of the high-northern stable field behavior. We obtain a median VADM of 57 ± 3 ZAm 2 (VDM of 60 ± 5 Am 2 ), which is higher than the median VADM of 16 intensity estimates from Antarctica ( 39 ± 7 ZAm 2 ) from the same period. A higher northern field is also found when using less strict cut-off criteria resulting in 14 field estimates from Jökuldalur, i.e. we find support for higher field strength in the northern hemisphere as compared to the southern hemisphere during the Matuyama. Finally, we deliver a revised magneto-chronostratigraphic model of Jökuldalur and conduct an investigation of the type sections of the so-called Gilsá normal polarity event around 1.62 Ma. Our revised model is based on 11 new 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages. No evidence is found of the existence of the Gilsá event in Jökuldalur. Instead we find that the normal polarity intervals in the type sections can both be correlated to Olduvai subchron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvements in the spatial and temporal coverage of paleomagnetic data are essential to better evaluate paleofield behaviour over the past 10 Myr, especially due to data scarcity at low latitudes in the South American region. Here, we provide new Pleistocene-Holocene (0–2 Ma age interval) paleodirectional data from three volcanic systems (Doña Juana Volcanic Complex, Galeras Volcanic Complex and Morasurco Volcano) in southwestern Colombia between latitudes 1.2 and 1.4°N. A total of 38 paleodirectional sites were studied using progressive alternating field and thermal demagnetization treatments. After excluding transitional data, we obtain thirty site-mean directions for analysis of paleosecular variation (PSV) and the time-averaged field (TAF) in the study area. The mean direction (Dec = 351.2°, Inc = −3.4°, α 95 = 6.2°, k = 20.0) and the paleomagnetic pole (Plat = 80.7°N, Plon = 173.1°E, A 95 = 5.2°, K = 29.1) of these sites are not statistically compatible with the expected geocentric axial dipole (GAD) field direction and geographic north pole, respectively. Virtual geomagnetic pole dispersion (S B) for our filtered dataset (S B (2 Ma) = 15.2 12.0 17.6°) and the Brunhes chron (S B (Bru) = 16.0 11.6 19.1°) are consistent at the 95% confidence level with South American studies at equatorial latitudes and recent PSV models for the 0–10 Ma and Brunhes intervals. Likewise, the corresponding inclination anomaly (Δ I) for two age groups Δ I 2 Ma = − 5.9 −12.1 0.3° and Δ I Bru = − 5.3 −13.7 3.1° suggests large deviations relative to the GAD model, in accordance with predictions from zonal TAF models. The high VGP dispersion could be linked to strong longitudinal variability of the magnetic equator position over South America. This feature reflects the presence of significant non-dipole field components in this region that have been detected in geomagnetic field models for the most recent centuries and millennia, probably associated with the presence of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly in the South American region. [Display omitted] [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]

Abstract: New paleomagnetic, rock-magnetic and paleointensity results obtained on samples from 23 basaltic lava flows belonging to four different flow sequences (Mashavera, Kvemo Orozmani, Zemo Karabulaki and Diliska) of Pleistocene and Pliocene age from the eastern Djavakheti Highland, in southern Georgia, are presented. Radiometric dating of these sequences yields ages between 1.8 and 2.18Ma for Mashavera, 2.07 and 2.58Ma for Zemo-Karabulakhi and 2.12 and 3.27 for Diliska. No radiometric ages are available for the Kvemo Orozmani sequence, which is considered to be coeval to the Mashavera sequence. Rock-magnetic experiments including measurement of thermomagnetic, hysteresis and IRM-acquisition curves suggest low-Ti titanomagnetite as main carrier of remanence, although a lower Curie-temperature component was also observed in several cases. Reversible and non-reversible curves were recorded in thermomagnetic experiments. Paleomagnetic analysis generally indicated the presence of a single component (mainly in the Mashavera sequence), but also two more or less superimposed components in some other cases. In 21 sites a characteristic component could be determined and all except one were characterised by normal-polarity directions. Flows from the Mashavera sequence had a rather steep inclination (73.1°). Nevertheless, a mean paleomagnetic direction of all four sequences is obtained (D =8.5°, I =60.8°, N =4, α 95 =11.7°, k =62.7) which agrees with the Plio-Quaternary directions obtained in previous studies in Georgia. The paleomagnetic pole obtained (latitude ϕ =82.1°, longitude λ =118.2°, A 95 =8.0°, k =240.7) agrees with the pole values of both the 0Ma and the 5Ma windows of the synthetic Eurasian polar wander path from . In order to analyse the behaviour of secular variation, the scatter of paleosecular variation of virtual geomagnetic poles of both the Mashavera flow and all 18 studied flows of Pleistocene age was calculated. It could be observed that both data-sets seem to fit well the expected scatter at latitude 41°N. Paleointensity experiments were carried out with the Coe modification of the Thellier method. Twenty-five out of 84 samples (30%) provided reliable paleointensity results. These successful results were mainly obtained in the Mashavera sequence. Most flows yielded paleointensity results in the 30–45μT range, in accordance with expected Pliocene to present day intensities. Two flows, however, located near the top of the Mashavera sequence yield high paleointensity values around 60μT. Anomalous paleointensity results in the upper-lying Mashavera flows together with the steep inclinations observed in that sequence, could perhaps signal the near onset of the Olduvai-Matuyama reversal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

Abstract: Complete progressive thermal demagnetization of nearly 400 oriented samples from 58 sites (lava flows) from the Galapagos Islands of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Floreana provide data for the statistical characterization of the time-averaged geomagnetic field near the Equator for the past few million years. Estimates of VGP dispersion due to paleosecular variation range from 9.2° to 11.8° depending on site selection criteria; our preferred estimate based on 64 site VGPs (51 accepted from this study and 13 from the 1971 study by Cox) is 11.4° (95% confidence interval 10.2–13.0°), consistent with previous estimates from the Galapagos Islands as well as paleosecular variation Model G, and confirming that angular dispersion of VGPs near the Equator is relatively low. The mean direction is not significantly different from a geocentric axial dipole field when account is taken of southward plate motion over the Galapagos hotspot. Preliminary paleointensity results from a comparison of the natural remanence with a total thermal remanence produced in a lab field of 15μT on a subset of 321 samples from 48 sites that had relatively small changes in magnetic susceptibility after laboratory heating suggest that the time-averaged field was about 21μT, or only two-thirds the present strength, in agreement with some other recent estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Low inclination and low secular variation seem to be present for at least the past 5 Myear in central Pacific. The period covering the past 10 kyear is crucial to the study of the field variability and to fill the gap between historical field measurements and long-term paleomagnetic records. We have conducted a paleomagnetic study of 13 sites of basaltic lava flows from Maui island with 14C ages between 10.3 and 0.2ka. Two other sites dated at 45 and 730ka were also sampled. Eight to 10 samples from each site were demagnetized using thermal treatment and companion specimens from the same samples were demagnetized by alternating fields (af). Thermomagnetic and hysteresis measurements indicated that magnetite (575°C) in fine grains was the dominant magnetic carrier, although in many cases we also observed a low-temperature phase which is likely carried by titanomagnetite with low titanium content. The existence of relatively high coercivities associated with these two mineralogical phases generated overlapping components which could not be properly isolated using af demagnetization. Successful results were obtained after thermal demagnetization for 13 sites with a mean inclination of 36.9±4°. The mean inclination (inc.=36.3°) of the eleven sites younger than 10.5ka is also very close to the value (37°) of the geocentric axial dipole (GAD) at the site latitude, but the angular dispersion of the virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) about the spin axis (9° with N =13 and 6.7° with N =11) is significantly lower than the predictions of the models of paleosecular variation at this latitude. The inclination variations for the past 10 kyear are in excellent agreement with the very detailed dataset which has previously been obtained from the big island of Hawaii. The mean inclination of all volcanic records (N =132) is 1.8° lower than expected, but this is likely caused by the lack of records between 5 and 7ka B.P. We note also that the inclinations from Lake Waiau sediments (big island) are shallower than those of the volcanic records (Mauna Kea, Hawaii) and were thus probably affected by compaction. We infer that there is no striking evidence for an inclination anomaly under Hawaii during this period, being aware of the need for additional records covering at least the 5–7ka B.P. time interval. The absence of a systematic deviation going beyond the dispersion of the inclinations obtained for the past millions of years neither pleads for a significant long-term persistent anomaly. However, all studies report a low dispersion of the VGPs which must reflect low secular variation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: William Gilbert first articulated what has come to be known as the geocentric axial dipole hypothesis. The GAD hypothesis is the principle on which paleogeographic reconstructions rely to constrain paleolatitude. For decades, there have been calls for permanent non-dipole contributions to the time-averaged field. Recently, these have demanded large contributions of the axial octupole, which, if valid, would call into question the general utility of the GAD hypothesis. In the process of geological recording of the geomagnetic field, “Earth filters” distort the directions. Many processes, for example, sedimentary inclination flattening and random tilting, can lead to a net shallowing of the observed direction. Therefore, inclinations that are shallower than expected from GAD can be explained by recording biases, northward transport, or non-dipole geomagnetic fields. Using paleomagnetic data from the last 5 million years from well-constrained lava flow data allows the construction of a statistical geomagnetic field model. Such a model can predict not only the average expected direction for a given latitude, but also the shape of the distribution of directions produced by secular variation. The elongation of predicted directions varies as a function of latitude (from significantly elongate in the up/down direction at the equator to circularly symmetric at the poles). Sedimentary inclination flattening also works in a predictable manner producing elongations that are stretched side to side and the degree of flattening depending on the inclination of the applied field and a “flattening factor” f. The twin tools of the predicted elongation/inclination relationship characteristic of the geomagnetic field for the past 5 million years and the distortion of the directions predicted from sedimentary inclination flattening allows us to find the flattening factor that yields corrected directions with an elongation and average inclination consistent with the statistical field model. The method can be tested using sediments deposited in a known field. Application of the elongation/inclination correction method to two magnetostratigraphic data sets from red beds in Asia and Pakistan brings the inclinations into agreement with those predicted from modern GPS measurements and from global paleomagnetic data. There appears to be no compelling reason at this time to abandon the geocentric dipole hypothesis, which has provided such an excellent working model for so long. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ten sites of basaltic lava flows from the Koolau series (island of Oahu, Hawaii) were selected to improve the determination of the Matuyama time-averaged geomagnetic field between 1.8 and 2.6 Ma. Identical primary directions with reverse polarity carried by magnetite were isolated by alternating-field and thermal demagnetization in 13–16 specimens from each site. The final mean direction points south while the inclination is 7° lower than the inclination of the geocentric axial dipole (GAD). This offset is reduced after correcting the site latitude for the Pacific plate motion, which has been neglected so far in most studies. The mean corrected direction is almost perfectly antipodal to the Brunhes mean direction derived from the Honolulu series in the same island. Despite this correction, the inclination remains 3.6° larger than the inclination of the axial dipole and cannot be accounted for by a small axial quadrupole which would reverse with the dipole. The mean inclinations of other Hawaiian records (mostly younger than 1 Ma) involving long sequences of lava flows exhibit similar deviations from the GAD which are too large to be accounted for by a small axial quadropole. Tilting of all sections is difficult to defend for so many localities and persistant secondary components have not been detected. Thus these inclination anomalies would reflect the presence of a long-term standing component under Hawaii but crustal magnetization linked to the volcanic edifice cannot be completely ruled out. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The transitional virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs) of the five most detailed records lie within the longitudinal bands of America, western Europe and eastern Asia. This distribution does not support the hypothesis of a direct link with heterogeneities of the lower mantle underneath Americas and eastern Asia. A similar distribution of VGPs persists by adding less detailed records and show similarities with the distribution of maximum inclination anomalies predicted by time-averaged field models. However, the two databases are far too limited to infer any recurrence of non-dipole components during reversals. Clusters of VGPs are observed in most records at various geographical locations without preference for specific longitudes, which most likely result from intense volcanism during short time periods rather than from transitional dipolar states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

New 40Ar/39Ar ages and paleomagnetic data are presented from a wide range of ignimbrites and lava flows from the region east of the Atacama Desert in the northern Chilean part of Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes. Eight dacitic to rhyolitic ignimbrites, 12 lava flows and one shallow intrusion were dated by the 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating method, and are the first 40Ar/39Ar ages reported for these units. Ignimbrites range in age from 4.2 Ma to 0.5 Ma, with the ~100 km3 Puripicar ignimbrite dated at 4.18 ± 0.02 Ma, the ~2500 km3 Atana ignimbrite, one of the largest ignimbrites in the world, at 3.99 ± 0.02 Ma, and the Purico ignimbrite at 0.99 ± 0.03 Ma. The new 40Ar/39Ar ages fall within the uncertainty limits of published K-Ar dates for the Purico, Patao and Puripicar tuffs but are different at the 95% confidence level for Atana and Talabre tuffs. Isochron ages from the 12 lava flows range from 3.5 Ma to 0.1 Ma, with 11 of the flows younger than 2.5 Ma. One lava sample and the shallow intrusion are from the Plio-Pleistocene magnetite-rich El Laco volcanic complex, and give ages of 2.18 ± 0.03 Ma and 1.83 ± 0.09 Ma respectively. Paleomagnetic directions from 49 sites (23 ignimbrites and 26 lava flows) provide a mean direction of I = −43.8°, D = 352.7° with α 95 = 10.0°, and a corresponding mean pole position of −81.1° and 179.1°. Normal directions are predominantly from lava flows and have steeper than expected inclinations (ΔI = 15.3°) whereas reverse sites are mostly ignimbrites and yield directions close to the geo-axial dipole field (ΔI = −3.6°). Paleosecular variation studies on a selection of 39 sites yield an angular standard deviation of site poles about the mean pole of 18.5°, considerably larger than predicted by current models of magnetic field variation with latitude. • High precision geochronology on ignimbrites and lava flows in the Atacama region range from 4.2 to 0.5 million years. • Paleomagnetic signatures from 49 locations include both normal and reversed magnetic directions. • Paleosecular variation values on selected sites yield larger dispersion than predicted by recent global models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]