Open AccessPalaeomagnetism of the Canary Islands and Madeira
Author(s) -
Watkins N. D.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1973.tb05830.x
Subject(s) - paleomagnetism , geology , apparent polar wander , geomagnetic pole , paleontology , magnetostratigraphy , earth's magnetic field , polar wander , geodesy , polar cap , polar , geophysics , ionosphere , physics , quantum mechanics , astronomy , magnetic field
Summary Palaeomagnetic results are presented for 1144 specimens from a total of 359 igneous bodies from the Canary Islands and Madeira. Available stratigraphic control, together with 90 K:Ar age determinations enable the data to be reliably assigned to the Pleistocene ( t = 0–1.6 My); Pliocene ( t = 1.6–5.1 My); and Miocene ( t = 5.2–25 My) periods. The mean virtual geomagnetic pole positions for each of these periods are indistinguishable and are significantly different from the present geographic pole in a sense consistent with Wilson's offset dipole hypothesis. If considered as part of a polar wander path for the Tertiary era, the results suggest that if any marked change of polar wander rate occurred during the Mid‐Tertiary, a slowing (rather than an increase) in the rate is likely to have occurred.