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Paleomagnetism of the oldest red beds and the direction of the Late Aphebian Polar Wander relative to Laurentia
Author(s) -
Roy J. L.,
Lapointe P. L.,
Anderson P.
Publication year - 1975
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/gl002i012p00537
Subject(s) - paleomagnetism , laurentia , apparent polar wander , magnetization , polar wander , geology , polar , paleontology , relative motion , geophysics , physics , magnetic field , paleozoic , astronomy , quantum mechanics , classical mechanics
The direction of the apparent polar motion relative to Laurentia for the interval 2.2 to 1.9 b.y. ago is the subject of a controversy owing to difficulties in determining the age relationships and age of the complex magnetization of those very old rocks. Three cleaning treatments (thermal, chemical and alternating field) were used to study the fossil magnetization of 104 specimens (8 sites) of 2.3 b.y. old red argillites of the Huronian Supergroup. The results indicate that the magnetization was acquired during the initial process of magnetization. The mean direction 337°, +52° (N=8; α 95 =8°) yields a pole at 158°E, 67°N (δp=8°; δm=11°). This and other recently published results indicate that the apparent polar motion relative to Laurentia for the 2.3 to 1.9 b.y. ago was mainly latitudinal and from north to south.