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Pressure demagnetization of the Martian crust: Ground truth from SNC meteorites
Author(s) -
Bezaeva Natalia S.,
Rochette Pierre,
Gattacceca Jérôme,
Sadykov Ravil A.,
Trukhin Vladimir I.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl031501
Subject(s) - martian , geology , demagnetizing field , meteorite , remanence , natural remanent magnetization , basalt , magnetite , pyrrhotite , geophysics , mineralogy , petrology , magnetization , geochemistry , astrobiology , mars exploration program , magnetic field , physics , quantum mechanics , paleontology , pyrite
We performed hydrostatic pressure demagnetization experiments up to 1.3 GPa on Martian meteorites: nakhlite NWA998 (magnetite‐bearing), basaltic shergottites NWA1068 (pyrrhotite‐bearing) and Los Angeles (titanomagnetite‐bearing) as well as terrestrial rocks: rhyolite (hematite‐bearing) and basalt (titanomagnetite‐bearing), using a new non‐magnetic high‐pressure cell. The detailed description of measuring techniques and experimental set‐up is presented. We found that under 1.3 GPa the samples lost up to 54% of their initial saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM). Repeated loading resulted in a further decrease of magnetization of the samples. Our experiments show that the resistance of IRM to hydrostatic pressure is not exclusively controlled by the remanent coercivity of the sample, but is strongly dependant on its magnetic mineralogy. There is no simple equivalence between pressure demagnetization and alternating field demagnetization. The extrapolation of these results of pressure demagnetization of IRM of Martian meteorites to the demagnetization of the Martian crust by impacts is discussed.