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Impact-generated shock waves can change the physical properties of meteorites and their constituent minerals. Accounting for these effects is key to recovering information about the early solar system from meteorite observations. ALH 84001 is a rare ancient sample from the Martian crust, providing a unique window into the thermal and metamorphic evolution of Mars. A well-studied meteorite, past geochemical and petrologic investigations have attempted to deduce its thermal and impact history with some contradictory results. By simulating the passage of a planar shock wave through a synthetic analog for samples of ALH 84001 using the iSALE-2D shock physics code we have determined the meteorite’s likely thermodynamic and physical response during an impact. Our simulations show that heterogeneous shear heating, induced by the planar shock wave, can produce strong thermal gradients on the sub-millimeter ‘mesoscale’ throughout the meteorite, even in relatively weak shock waves (5 GPa). We are able to place new constraints on deformation events experienced by the meteorite during its time on the parent body, including the maximum pressure ALH 84001 has experienced since it acquired its remanent magnetization and its subsequent ejection from Mars.

SUMMARY Quasi-linear field-dependence of remanence provides the foundation for sedimentary relative palaeointensity studies that have been widely used to understand past geomagnetic field behaviour and to date sedimentary sequences. Flocculation models are often called upon to explain this field dependence and the lower palaeomagnetic recording efficiency of sediments. Several recent studies have demonstrated that magnetic-mineral inclusions embedded within larger non-magnetic host silicates are abundant in sedimentary records, and that they can potentially provide another simple explanation for the quasi-linear field dependence. In order to understand how magnetic inclusion-rich detrital particles acquire sedimentary remanence, we carried out depositional remanent magnetization (DRM) experiments on controlled magnetic inclusion-bearing silicate particles (10–50 μm in size) prepared from gabbro and mid-ocean ridge basalt samples. Deposition experiments confirm that the studied large silicate host particles with magnetic mineral inclusions can acquire a DRM with accurate recording of declination. We observe a silicate size-dependent inclination shallowing, whereby larger silicate grains exhibit less inclination shallowing. The studied sized silicate samples do not have distinct populations of spherical or platy particles, so the observed size-dependence inclination shallowing could be explained by a ‘rolling ball’ model whereby larger silicate particles rotate less after depositional settling. We also observe non-linear field-dependent DRM acquisition in Earth-like magnetic fields with DRM behaviour depending strongly on silicate particle size, which could be explained by variable magnetic moments and silicate sizes. Our results provide direct evidence for a potentially widespread mechanism that could contribute to the observed variable recording efficiency and inclination shallowing of sedimentary remanences.

This paper presents a detailed study investigating the effect of hydrocarbon presence on magnetic mineral diagenesis in sediments from the Catcher Area Development (CAD) region, UK North Sea, between 1,000 and 1,500 m (True Vertical Depth Sub-Sea). Magnetic analysis of core samples from hydrocarbon fields of the region and nearby dry-well sandstones (background) was carried out to determine if their signatures can serve as a proxy for understanding petroleum reservoir systems. From the background samples, nanometric and micron-sized magnetite, hematite and titano-iron oxides, were identified. Hydrocarbon presence in the reservoir sediments was found to diminish the iron-oxide signature and favour the precipitation of hexagonal pyrrhotite, siderite and potentially vivianite, lepidocrocite, greigite and paramagnetic iron sulphides. Hexagonal pyrrhotite was found at the oil-water transition zones. This relationship is possibly related to biodegradation at this interface. Siderite was found in increased abundance at shallower depths within the reservoir, which we attribute to hydrocarbon vertical migration and biodegradation. The interbedded shales also experienced significant magnetic mineral diagenesis that depended on its proximity to the hydrocarbon plume. These findings suggest that mineral magnetism can be applied to the identification of oil-water transition zones, reserve estimation, production planning and the determination of hydrocarbon migration pathways. It also suggests that mineral magnetic methods can be used to estimate the timing of hydrocarbon migration.

SUMMARY Greigite is a sensitive environmental indicator and occurs commonly in nature as magnetostatically interacting framboids. Until now only the magnetic response of isolated non-interacting greigite particles have been modelled micromagnetically. We present here hysteresis and first-order reversal curve (FORC) simulations for framboidal greigite (Fe3S4), and compare results to those for isolated particles of a similar size. We demonstrate that these magnetostatic interactions alter significantly the framboid FORC response compared to isolated particles, which makes the magnetic response similar to that of much larger (multidomain) grains. We also demonstrate that framboidal signals plot in different regions of a FORC diagram, which facilitates differentiation between framboidal and isolated grain signals. Given that large greigite crystals are rarely observed in microscopy studies of natural samples, we suggest that identification of multidomain-like FORC signals in samples known to contain abundant greigite could be interpreted as evidence for framboidal greigite.

Iron-bearing particulate matter produced by vehicle emissions is known to be toxic. To better quantify potential health risks, we have conducted the first magnetic study of a time-series of London's inhalable particulate matter (50 nm.

Interpretation of palaeointensity measurements is difficult since natural samples are made up of magnetic grains of different size, shape and chemical composition. Néels single-domain (SD) model is the main theoretical tool used to understand paleomagnetic measurements, but it is limited since it only applies to uniformly magnetized grain assemblies.Recent work has shown that the single-vortex (SV) state is not only significantly more common than SD as it occupies a much larger range of grain sizes but is also surprisingly thermally stable [1]. As these grains likely account for the majority of the signal measured in the laboratory, they must also be responsible for the range of observations that lead to large inaccuracies in measurement, for example, pTRM tails. Additionally, if we have a clear understanding of the SV state, can we account for the true cooling rate dependence of grain assemblies, and also find a physical link between magnetic coercivity and blocking temperature.We present a framework of tools for paleomagnetists to interpret measurements in the light of advances in numerical modelling and the increase in speed of modern computers. We hope that these tools will advance our understanding of the basic mechanisms by which samples record and preserve the Earth’s magnetic field and so will allow for the quantification of errors observed in real samples.[1] L. Nagy, W. Williams, A. R. Muxworthy, K. Fabian, T. P. Almeida, P. Ó Conbhuí, and V. P. Shcherbakov. Stability of equidimensional pseudo–single-domain magnetite over billion-year timescales. PNAS 114(39):10356–10360, 2017

Summary Magnetic minerals form or alter in the presence of hydrocarbons, making them a potential magnetic proxy for identifying hydrocarbon migration pathways. In this paper we test this idea by magnetically measuring core samples from the Tay Fan in the Western Central Graben in the Central North Sea. In a companion paper, 3D petroleum systems modelling has been carried out to forward model migration pathways within the Tay Fan. Rock magnetic experiments identified a range of magnetite, maghemite, iron sulphides, siderite, goethite and titanohematite, some of which are part of the background signal, and some due to the presence of hydrocarbons. Typical concentrations of the magnetic minerals were ∼10–200 ppm. Importantly, we have identified an increasing presence of authigenic iron sulphides (likely pyrite and greigite) along the identified lateral hydrocarbon migration pathway (east to west). This is likely caused by biodegradation resulting in the precipitation of iron sulphides, however, though less likely, it could alternatively be caused by mature oil generation, which subsequently travelled with the migrating oil to the traps in the west. These observations suggest mineral magnetic techniques could be a rapid alternative method for identifying the severity of biodegradation or oil maturity in core sample, which can then be used to calibrate petroleum systems models.

The fluvial, overbank, and lacustrine deposits of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of the Western Interior, U.S.A. have been intensively studied due to their diverse and well-preserved dinosaurian fauna, and the presence of economic quantities of uranium and vanadium ores. The formation crops out over 12 degrees of latitude and 1.2 million km2, and is an excellent case study for the examination of paleoecology, community structure, and evolutionary dynamics at a time in Earth's history when the climate was significantly warmer than today. However, paleoecological studies have been hampered by lack of correlation across the formation. Assuming a primarily tectonic control on fluvial architecture, we propose the first chronostratigraphic framework of the formation, which is based on sequence stratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and radiometric dating. The formation can be divided into three sequences each represented by a period of degradation followed by aggradation. This chronostratigraphic framework indicates that the formation youngs to the north, and was deposited over about 7 million years during the late Kimmeridgian and Tithonian. This framework provides a foundation for future sedimentological, stratigraphic, and paleobiological studies of the iconic dinosaurian fauna known from the Morrison.

Summary Migration of hydrocarbons in the subsurface has been shown to create an environment that promotes the precipitation and/or alteration of magnetic minerals. For example, iron oxides and iron sulphides have been shown to precipitate due to the reducing conditions created by hydrocarbon migration. Siderite, a paramagnetic mineral with Neel temperature of 37K has been variously identified in hydrocarbon environment and has also been suggested to be an authigenic product of hydrocarbon migration. However, it is commonly found in sedimentary settings. Here we show via experimental studies that siderite is precipitated due to hydrocarbon migrations and suggested the mechanism responsible for this process. Magnetic minerals precipitation along migration pathways suggests the creation of a magnetic fingerprint that if thoroughly understood can be applied to oil and gas exploration.

To better understand the fluid migration in orogenic zones and associated chemical remagnetization, we have conducted a detailed magnetic, petrographic, and strontium isotope study in an important orogenic belt of China, the Jurassic Dabashan fold and thrust belt. This belt formed by the continued collision of the North and South China blocks after the Late Triassic closure of the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean. Samples were collected in a variety of rock units of Ediacaran to Permian age, in both the thrust and the fold belts. Paleomagnetic analysis indicates that all the samples were remagnetized and carry a Middle‐Late Jurassic paleo‐direction. Rock magnetic data and scanning electron microscopy observations found that the proposed remagnetization is carried by framboidal magnetite, which likely formed by the replacement of pyrite. The pervasive nature of the chemical remagnetization in these units and belts and its temporal and spatial association with the orogeny suggest that it resulted from the alteration of orogeny‐induced fluids. Sr‐isotopic analysis of the units that are thought to be remagnetized suggests that the sediments in the thrust belt were altered by externally derived evolved fluids, whereas the Permian samples in the fold belt were altered by internal pore fluid mixing during the orogeny. Together with the lithological and structural features, we conclude that the external orogenic fluids migrated preferentially along thrust faults and unconformities but were blocked by layers of low‐permeability gypsum. Our results help to constrain the origin of widespread remagnetization in South China.

First‐order reversal curve (FORC) distributions are a powerful diagnostic tool for characterizing and quantifying magnetization processes in fine magnetic particle systems. Estimation of FORC distributions requires the computation of the second‐order mixed derivative of noisy magnetic hysteresis data. This operation amplifies measurement noise, and for weakly magnetic systems, it can compromise estimation of a FORC distribution. Previous processing schemes, which are based typically on local polynomial regression, have been developed to smooth FORC data to suppress detrimental noise. Importantly, the smoothed FORC distribution needs to be consistent with the measurement data from which it was estimated. This can be a challenging task even for expert users, who must adjust subjectively parameters that define the form and extent of smoothing until a “satisfactory” FORC distribution is obtained. For nonexpert users, estimation of FORC distributions using inappropriate smoothing parameters can produce distorted results corrupted by processing artifacts, which can lead to spurious inferences concerning the magnetic system under investigation. We have developed a statistical machine learning framework based on a probabilistic model comparison to guide the estimation of FORC distributions. An intuitive approach is presented that reveals regions of a FORC distribution that may have been smoothed inappropriately. An associated metric can also be used to compare data preparation and local regression schemes to assess their suitability for processing a given FORC data set. Ultimately, our approach selects FORC smoothing parameters in a probabilistic fashion, which automates the derivative estimation process regardless of user expertise.

Identifying the depths of the hydrocarbon-fluid contacts in a reservoir is important for determining hydrocarbon reserves and production planning. Using core samples from the Tay Sandstone reservoir in the central North Sea, we show that there is a magnetic enhancement at the hydrocarbon-fluid contacts that is detectable through both magnetic susceptibility measurements and magnetic hysteresis measurements. We observed this magnetic enhancement at both gas-oil and oil-water contacts, which have been independently identified using nonmagnetic methods; we did not consider gas-water contacts in this study. We demonstrate that this magnetic enhancement is caused by the precipitation of new nanometric iron oxide (magnetite) and iron sulfide (greigite) phases. The magnetic enhancement may be caused by diagenetic changes or preferential biodegradation at the top of the oil column during early filling and at the oil-water contact. Our findings have the potential to be used to identify paleo-hydrocarbon-fluid contact in both structurally modified fields and failed wells. The technique can also be used to infer the fill history of a basin and calibrate petroleum systems models. Magnetic susceptibility measurements have the advantage that they can easily and quickly be measured in the field on whole core material.

A recent trend in paleomagnetism is the study of samples of ever decreasing sizes, going down to (sub)millimeter scales and even microscopic scales (“nanopaleomagnetism”). These include studies of single-silicate-crystals, microscopic magnetic imaging of the cloudy zones in Iron meteorites, and recently even the determination of individual magnetic remanence carriers. As single-crystal and nanopalaeomagnetic methods are getting more adopted, it is getting increasingly important to assess the statistical reliability with which such small samples can record remanences from a physical perspective. We previously proposed a benchmark to assess small-scale samples of randomly oriented non-interacting single-domain (SD) particles and found that in most cases, the number of magnetic particles a sample must contain lies in the order of tens to hundreds of millions – or equivalently NRM strengths of the order of 10-12 Am2. In this talk, we present how this benchmark can be used as a simple yet indispensable tool to assess whether or not (sub)millimeter-size and nanopalaeomagnetic samples are able to statistically reliably record palaeomagnetic fields. Moreover, this talk will provide an outlook into future limitations but also opportunities of the statistical physics nature of microscopic magnetic particle systems. It will explore if multi-domain particles should ever be considered statistically reliable recorders, how interactions in SD particle clusters might affect statistical reliability, and will review the various challenges that Iron meteorites pose as a remanence recorder.

Diagenetic alteration of magnetic minerals occurs in all sedimentary environments and tends to be severe in reducing environments. Magnetic minerals provide useful information about sedimentary diagenetic processes, which makes it valuable to use magnetic properties to identify the diagenetic environment in which the magnetic minerals occur and to inform interpretations of paleomagnetic recording or environmental processes. We use a newly developed first-order reversal curve unmixing method on well-studied samples to illustrate how magnetic properties can be used to assess diagenetic processes in reducing sedimentary environments. From our analysis of multiple data sets, consistent magnetic components are identified for each stage of reductive diagenesis. Relatively unaltered detrital and biogenic magnetic mineral assemblages in surficial oxic to manganous diagenetic environments undergo progressive dissolution with burial into ferruginous and sulfidic environments and largely disappear at the sulfate-methane transition. Below the sulfate-methane transition, a weak superparamagnetic to largely noninteracting stable single domain (SD) greigite component is observed in all studied data sets. Moderately interacting stable SD authigenic pyrrhotite and strongly interacting stable SD greigite are observed commonly in methanic environments. Recognition of these characteristic magnetic components enables identification of diagenetic processes and should help to constrain interpretation of magnetic mineral assemblages in future studies. A key question for future studies concerns whether stable SD greigite forms in the sulfidic or methanic zones, where formation in deeper methanic sediments will cause greater delays in paleomagnetic signal recording. Authigenic pyrrhotite forms in methanic environments, so it will usually record a delayed paleomagnetic signal. ©2018. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved., This work was supported financially by the Australian Research Council through grant DP160100805, by the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007–2013)/ERC grant agreement number 320750, and by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan.

First‐order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams of synthetic binary mixtures with single‐domain, vortex state, and multi‐domain end members (EMs) were analyzed using principal component analysis (FORC‐PCA). Mixing proportions derived from FORC‐PCA are shown to deviate systematically from the known weight percent of EMs, which is caused by the lack of reversible magnetization contributions to the FORC distribution. The error in the mixing proportions can be corrected by applying PCA to the raw FORCs, rather than to the processed FORC diagram, thereby capturing both reversible and irreversible contributions to the signal. Here we develop a new practical implementation of the FORC‐PCA method that enables quantitative unmixing to be performed routinely on suites of FORC diagrams with up to four distinct EMs. The method provides access not only to the processed FORC diagram of each EM, but also to reconstructed FORCs, which enables objective criteria to be defined that aid identification of physically realistic EMs. We illustrate FORC‐PCA with examples of quantitative unmixing of magnetic components that will have widespread applicability in paleomagnetism and environmental magnetism.

An extremely sharp magnetic reversal observed in lacustrine sediments in central Italy has been interpreted as a record of the Matuyama-Brunhes geomagnetic polarity reversal that may represent less than a decade (Sagnotti et al., 2014. 2016). Here, we report new results from the same Sulmona Basin outcrop that question this interpretation. In particular, we find evidence of reversed (Matuyama) directions well above the proposed Matuyama-Brunhes Boundary (MBB). Coercivity spectra of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) imply a 3-component magnetic mineralogy: low-, intermediate-, and high-coercivity. The low-coercivity component is found in all but one of the samples and carries a strong modern overprint seen throughout the section. The high-coercivity component is dominated by volcanic material which is prone to remagnetization. Since it is much more magnetic than the surrounding lacustrine sediments, it may influence the remanence signal even when present at very low concentrations. The intermediate-coercivity component is the main carrier of any true primary remanence, but whether or not this can be isolated depends on the blocking-temperature and coercivity spectra of individual samples, and on the demagnetization method used. The complexity of the magnetization, the reversed zones above the proposed MBB, and the normal zones that Sagnotti and 2 colleagues found below it, lead to the conclusion that this section does not carry a reliable high-resolution record of the geomagnetic field. Thus, we feel that inferences about the stratigraphic position and duration of the MBB are premature.

We present the results of a finite-element micromagnetic model of 30 nm to 300 nm greigite (Fe3S4) grains with a variety of equant morphologies. This grain size range covers the magnetic single-domain (SD) to pseudo single-domain (PSD) transition, and possibly also the PSD to multi-domain (MD) transition. The SD–PSD threshold d 0 is determined to be 50 nm ≤ d 0 ≤ 56 nm depending on grain shape. The nudged elastic-band method was used to determine the room temperature energy barriers between stable states and thus the blocking volumes. It is found that, in the absence of interparticle magnetostatic interactions, the magnetisation of equant SD greigite is not stable on a geological scale and only PSD grains ≥ 70 nm can be expected to carry a stable magnetisation over billion-year timescales, i.e., all non-interacting SD particles are essentially superparamagnetic. We further identify a mechanism for the PSD to multi-domain (MD) transition, which is of a continuous nature from PSD nucleation up to 300 nm , when structures typical of MD behaviour like closure domains begin to form.

The term ‘pseudo-single domain’ (PSD) has been used to describe the transitional state in rock magnetism that spans the particle size range between the single domain (SD) and multi-domain (MD) states. The particle size range for the stable SD state in the most commonly occurring terrestrial magnetic mineral, magnetite, is so narrow (~20-75 nm) that it is widely considered that much of the paleomagnetic record of interest is carried by ‘PSD’ rather than stable SD particles. The PSD concept has, thus, become the dominant explanation for the magnetization associated with a major fraction of particles that record paleomagnetic signals throughout geological time. In this paper, we argue that in contrast to the SD and MD states, the term ‘PSD’ does not describe the relevant physical processes, which have been documented extensively using three-dimensional micromagnetic modeling, and by parallel research in materials science and solid-state physics. We also argue that features attributed to ‘PSD’ behavior can be explained by nucleation of a single magnetic vortex immediately above the maximum stable SD transition size. With increasing particle size, multiple vortices, antivortices, and domain walls can nucleate, which produce variable cancellation of magnetic moments and a gradual transition into the MD state. Thus, while the term ‘PSD’ describes a well-known transitional state, it fails to describe adequately the physics of the relevant processes. We recommend that use of this term should be discontinued in favor of “vortex state”, which spans a range of behaviors associated with magnetic vortices.

Significance The strength of the ancient geomagnetic field (paleointensity) is a key tool to observe the evolution of early Earth’s geodynamo, which provided an essential protective barrier for the emergence of life. However, paleointensity data are fraught with difficulties that make understanding the evolution of our planet more challenging. We demonstrate a long-sought-after quantitative relationship between fundamental rock magnetic properties and the fidelity of paleointensity records. This relationship can be used to reject low-fidelity paleointensity records and help resolve controversy that surrounds key questions about the evolution of our planet, such as when did the geodynamo begin, when did the inner core solidify, or how early life may have interacted with the magnetic field., Nonideal, nonsingle-domain magnetic grains are ubiquitous in rocks; however, they can have a detrimental impact on the fidelity of paleomagnetic records—in particular the determination of ancient magnetic field strength (paleointensity), a key means of understanding the evolution of the earliest geodynamo and the formation of the solar system. As a consequence, great effort has been expended to link rock magnetic behavior to paleointensity results, but with little quantitative success. Using the most comprehensive rock magnetic and paleointensity data compilations, we quantify a stability trend in hysteresis data that characterizes the bulk domain stability (BDS) of the magnetic carriers in a paleomagnetic specimen. This trend is evident in both geological and archeological materials that are typically used to obtain paleointensity data and is therefore pervasive throughout most paleomagnetic studies. Comparing this trend to paleointensity data from both laboratory and historical experiments reveals a quantitative relationship between BDS and paleointensity behavior. Specimens that have lower BDS values display higher curvature on the paleointensity analysis plot, which leads to more inaccurate results. In-field quantification of BDS therefore reflects low-field bulk remanence stability. Rapid hysteresis measurements can be used to provide a powerful quantitative method for preselecting paleointensity specimens and postanalyzing previous studies, further improving our ability to select high-fidelity recordings of ancient magnetic fields. BDS analyses will enhance our ability to understand the evolution of the geodynamo and can help in understanding many fundamental Earth and planetary science questions that remain shrouded in controversy.

A recent hypothesis has suggested that Earth's inner core nucleated during the Mesoproterozoic, as evidenced by a rapid increase in the paleointensity (ancient geomagnetic field intensity) record; however, paleointensity data during the Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic period are limited. To address this problem, we have determined paleointensity from samples from three Paleoproterozoic Avanavero mafic sills (Amazonian Craton, Brazil): Cotingo, 1782 Ma, Puiuà 1788, and Pedra Preta, 1795 Ma. We adopted a multi-protocol approach for paleointensity estimates combining Thellier-type IZZI and LTD-IZZI methods, and the non-heating Preisach protocol. We obtained an average VDM value of 1.3 ± 0.7 × 1022Am2 (Cotingo) of 2.0 ± 0.4 × 1022Am2 (Puiuà) and 6 ± 4 × 1022Am2 (Pedra Preta); it is argued that the Cotingo estimate is the most robust. Our results are the first data from the upper Paleoproterozoic for South America and are comparable to data available from other regions and similar periods. The new data do not invalidate the hypothesis of that Earth's inner core nucleated during the Mesoproterozoic.

Biomagnetic monitoring of atmospheric pollution is a growing application in the field of environmental magnetism. Particulate matter (PM) in atmospheric pollution contains readily measurable concentrations of magnetic minerals. Biological surfaces, exposed to atmospheric pollution, accumulate magnetic particles over time, providing a record of location-specific, time integrated air quality information. This review summarizes current knowledge of biological material ("sensors") used for biomagnetic monitoring purposes. Our work addresses the following: the range of magnetic properties reported for lichens, mosses, leaves, bark, trunk wood, insects, crustaceans, mammal and human tissues; their associations with atmospheric pollutant species (PM, NO, trace elements, PAHs); the pros and cons of biomagnetic monitoring of atmospheric pollution; current challenges for large-scale implementation of biomagnetic monitoring; and future perspectives. A summary table is presented, with the aim of aiding researchers and policy makers in selecting the most suitable biological sensor for their intended biomagnetic monitoring purpose.

The diagnostic power of first‐order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams has recently been enhanced by an extended measurement protocol that yields three additional FORC‐like diagrams: the remanent (remFORC), induced (iFORC), and transient (tFORC) diagrams. Here, we present micromagnetic simulations using this extended protocol, including numerical predictions of remFORC, iFORC, and tFORC signatures for particle ensembles relevant to rock magnetism. Simulations are presented for randomly packed single‐domain (SD) particles with uniaxial, cubic, and hexagonal anisotropy, and for chains of uniaxial SD particles. Noninteracting particles have zero tFORC, but distinct remFORC and iFORC signals, that provide enhanced discrimination between uniaxial, cubic, and hexagonal anisotropy types. Increasing interactions lessen the ability to discriminate between uniaxial and cubic anisotropy but reproduces a change in the pattern of positive and negative iFORC signals observed for SD‐dominated versus vortex‐dominated samples. Interactions in SD particles lead to the emergence of a bi‐lobate tFORC distribution, which is related to formation of flux‐closure in super‐vortex states. A predicted iFORC signal associated with collapsed chains is observed in experimental data and may aid magnetofossil identification in sediments. Asymmetric FORC and FORC‐like distributions for hexagonal anisotropy are explained by the availability of multiple easy axes within the basal plane. A transition to uniaxial switching occurs below a critical value of the out‐of‐plane/in‐plane anisotropy ratio, which may allow FORC diagrams to provide insight into the stress state of hexagonal minerals, such as hematite.

This study reports a multidisciplinary approach to determining hydrocarbon charge-points and migration in the Wessex Basin, southern England. Geochemical analysis of reservoir core material (Bridport Sandstone and Inferior Oolite) using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), suggests that the oil in the Wessex Basin is from a single source, and that small variations in environmentally sensitive biomarkers are likely due to small differences in maturity or depositional conditions during the formation of the oil over millions of years. Using seismic data, basin modelling revealed two potential hydrocarbon migration pathways from the hanging wall of the Purbeck fault into the Sherwood Sandstone reservoir at Wytch Farm. One of these potential pathways is represented by cores termed Creech and the other Bushey Farm. To try to distinguish between the two potential pathways, cores were studied using mineral magnetic techniques. The magnetic signature was characterised using low-temperature (

Reliability of magnetic recordings of the ancient magnetic field is strongly dependent on the magnetic mineralogy of natural samples. Theoretical estimates of long‐term stability of remanence were restricted to single‐domain (SD) states, but micromagnetic models have recently demonstrated that the so‐called single‐vortex (SV) domain structure can have even higher stability that SD grains. In larger grains ( urn:x-wiley:ggge:media:ggge21913:ggge21913-math-000110 μm in magnetite) the multidomain (MD) state dominates, so that large uniform magnetic domains are separated by narrow domain walls. In this paper we use a parallelized micromagnetic finite element model to provide resolutions of many millions of elements allowing us, for the first time, to examine the evolution of magnetic structure from a uniform state, through the SV state up to the development of the domain walls indicative of MD states. For a cuboctahedral grain of magnetite, we identify clear domain walls in grains as small as ∼3 μm with domain wall widths equal to that expected in large MD grains; we therefore put the SV to MD transition at ∼3 μm for magnetite and expect well‐defined, and stable, SV structures to be present until at least ∼1 μm when reducing the grain size. Reducing the size further shows critical dependence on the history of domain structures, particularly with SV states that transition through a so‐called “unstable zone” leading to the recently observed hard‐aligned SV states that proceed to unwind to SD yet remain hard aligned.

A Heisenberg mean-field model is used to study the effect of size and shape on the Curie temperature of magnetic nanoparticles. Simple cubic, body-centered cubic, and magnetite nanoparticles are modelled as spheres, cubes, and needlelike particles. The Curie temperatures of particles of different shape, but with the same crystal structure and smallest dimension $d$, are found to differ. The range in the value of the Curie temperature between particles of different shape, $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{T}_{C}$, is found to be $\ensuremath{\sim}20%$ of the bulk value of ${T}_{C}$ in particles where $dl10$ atoms. As particle size increases, the value of $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{T}_{C}$ reduces rapidly and becomes negligible above a threshold size. This threshold size differs between systems and is controlled predominantly by crystal structure. All systems were fit to the finite-size scaling equation, with values of the scaling exponent $\ensuremath{\nu}$ found to lie between 0.46 and 0.55, in good agreement with the expected value of $\ensuremath{\nu}=0.5$. No trend in the value of $\ensuremath{\nu}$ due to shape was found.

Paleomagnetic observations provide valuable evidence of the strength of magnetic fields present during evolution of the Solar System. Such information provides important constraints on physical processes responsible for rapid accretion of the protoplanetesimal disk. For this purpose, magnetic recordings must be stable and resist magnetic overprints from thermal events and viscous acquisition over many billions of years. A lack of comprehensive understanding of magnetic domain structures carrying remanence has, until now, prevented accurate estimates of the uncertainty of recording fidelity in almost all paleomagnetic samples. Recent computational advances allow detailed analysis of magnetic domain structures in iron particles as a function of grain morphology, size, and temperature. Our results show that uniformly magnetized equidimensional iron particles do not provide stable recordings, but instead larger grains containing single-vortex domain structures have very large remanences and high thermal stability-both increasing rapidly with grain size. We derive curves relating magnetic thermal and temporal stability demonstrating that cubes (>35 nm) and spheres (>55 nm) are likely capable of preserving magnetic recordings from the formation of the Solar System. Additionally, we model paleomagnetic demagnetization curves for a variety of grain size distributions and find that unless a sample is dominated by grains at the superparamagnetic size boundary, the majority of remanence will block at high temperatures ([Formula: see text]C of Curie point). We conclude that iron and kamacite (low Ni content FeNi) particles are almost ideal natural recorders, assuming that there is no chemical or magnetic alteration during sampling, storage, or laboratory measurement.

We present a dataset of a full-vector palaeomagnetic study of Late Pleistocene lavas from the island Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic Ocean. The current day geomagnetic field intensity in this region is approximately 25 mu T, compared to an expected value of similar to 43 mu T;this phenomenon is known as the South Atlantic geomagnetic Anomaly (SAA). Geomagnetic field models extending back to the last 10 ka find no evidence for this being a persistent feature of the geomagnetic field, albeit, all models are constructed from data which is particularly sparse in the southern hemisphere. New Ar-40/Ar-39 incremental heating dating indicates the studied lavas from Tristan da Cunha extruded between 90 and 46 ka. Palaeointensity estimations of eight lava flows made using the Thellier method yield an average palaeointensity of 18 +/- 6 mu T and virtual axial dipole moment (VADM) of 3.1 +/- 1.2 x 10(22) Am-2. The lava flows demonstrate four time intervals comparable to the present day SAA, where the average VADM of the Tristan da Cunha lavas is weaker than the global VADM average. This suggests a persistent or recurring low intensity anomaly to the main geomagnetic field similar to the SAA existed in the South Atlantic between 46 and 90 ka. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In this paper, we report the pyrolysis and formation of magnetic minerals in three source rock samples from the Wessex Basin in Dorset, southern England. The experimental conditions in the laboratory recreated the catagenesis environment of oil source rocks. Magnetic analysis of both the heated and the unheated samples at room temperature and at very low-temperatures (5 K), coupled with transmission electron-microscopy imaging and X-ray analysis, revealed the formation of nanometre-sized (

No abstract available.

Vaalbara is the name given to a proposed configuration of continental blocks—the Kaapvaal craton (southern Africa) and the Pilbara craton (north-western Australia)—thought to be the Earth’s oldest supercraton assemblage. Its temporal history is poorly defined, but it has been suggested that it was stable for at least 400 million years, between 3.1 and 2.7 Ga. Here, we present an updated analysis that shows that the existence of a single supercraton between ∼2.9 and ∼2.7 Ga is inconsistent with the available palaeomagnetic data.

A new method to determine the atomic attempt time τ0 of magnetic relaxation of fine particles, which is central to rock and soil magnetism and paleomagnetic recording theory, is presented, including the determination of its temperature dependence, and simultaneously the grain size distribution of a sample. It is based on measuring a series of zero-field magnetic viscous decay curves for saturation isothermal remanent magnetization at various different temperatures that are later joined together on a single grain size scale from which the grain size distribution and attempt time are determined. The attempt time was determined for three samples containing noninteracting, single-domain titanomagnetites of different grain sizes for temperatures between 27 K and 374 K. No clear temperature-dependent trend was found; however, values varied significantly from one sample to the other: from 10−11 to 10−8s; in particular, the sample containing multiple magnetic phases had an effective attempt time significantly lower than the more homogeneous samples, thereby questioning the applicability of the simple Neel-Arhennius equation for magnetic relaxation for composite materials.

In this preliminary study I investigate the possibility of using magnetic techniques to analyse particulate matter trapped within the lung tissue from four deceased animals from in and near Munich, Germany. This is the first in vitro magnetic analysis of animal lung tissue. The four animals were three cats and a dog. The animals had not been studied in any previous laboratory experiments, and it is assumed that the magnetic signature was from particulate matter trapped within the lungs; however, the bulk analysis in this study did not discriminate between a biogenic or inorganic origin of the magnetic signal. Magnetic measurements were made on sub-samples of each lung. To fix the magnetic minerals within the lung tissue, the samples were cooled to 77 K, and their saturation isothermal remanence measured. For a few select samples the isothermal remanence acquisition curves were measured, plus thermomagnetic warming curves. The findings suggest that the main magnetic mineral is magnetite-like, in small concentrations (∼100s ppb) and likely consists of particles