Geomagnetic field intensity over the last 42,000 years from core SOH‐4, Big Island, Hawaii

A record of the absolute geomagnetic field intensity spanning the last 42 kyr has been obtained from 100 lava flows (187 successful Thellier experiments) recovered in the top 468 m of core from the SOH‐4 well on the Island of Hawaii. Assuming a linear extrusion rate between the present and the 42 kyr date obtained with a refined K/Ar technique, this corresponds to an average of one flow every 420 years. Rock magnetic analysis identifies low‐Ti content and high‐Ti content magnetites in 75% and 25% of the samples, respectively, as the main carriers of magnetization. The low‐Ti magnetites are very stable while some transformations occur upon heating in the other samples, but both groups allow reliable paleointensity determinations. The directional record documents inclinations consistent with a geocentric dipole field for the last 16 kyr and between 38 and 42 kyr. Between 16 and 38 kyr shallower and, in some cases, negative inclinations, were observed. Because of the high extrusion rate and the exceptional percentage of reliable intensity determinations, the record of the geomagnetic field intensity over the last 42 kyr has a resolution comparable to the best sedimentary records. The geomagnetic field intensity at Hawaii appears to have varied between 18 and 79 µT and is characterized by large fluctuation with peak‐to‐peak amplitudes of 20–25 µT. The observed values are quite consistent with other values obtained from Hawaii for the last 31 kyr (Mankinen and Champion, 1993a, b; Tanaka and Kono, 1991; Coe et al., 1978). The mean intensity over the explored time interval, 45 µT, is slightly higher than the present value of the geomagnetic field in Hawaii.