Open AccessGeomagnetic excursions date early hominid migration to China
Author(s) -
Bhattacharya Atreyee
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2012eo390012
Subject(s) - earth's magnetic field , geology , geomagnetic secular variation , geomagnetic reversal , geophysics , globe , magnetostratigraphy , sedimentary rock , paleomagnetism , magnetic field , paleontology , geomagnetic storm , physics , medicine , quantum mechanics , ophthalmology
Global‐scale geomagnetic reversals, which are periods when the direction of Earth's magnetic field flips, leave imprints in magnetic minerals present in sediments. But so do smaller‐scale, even local, changes in Earth's magnetic field direction. Paleomagnetists believe that the smaller‐scale events represent “failed reversals” and refer to them as “geomagnetic excursions.” Scientists use geomagnetic excursions in sedimentary basins as markers to tie together events of Earth's history across the globe.