Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor

Abstract Inconsistent polarity patterns in sediments are a common problem in magnetostratigraphic and paleomagnetic research. Multiple magnetic mineral generations result in such remanence “haystacks.” Here we test whether end‐member modeling of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: F. M. Aben, M. J. Dekkers, R. R. Bakker, D. J. J. van Hinsbergen, W. J. Zachariasse, G. W. Tate, N. McQuarrie, R. Harris, B. Duffy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-06-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GC005294
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849433992234795008
author F. M. Aben
M. J. Dekkers
R. R. Bakker
D. J. J. van Hinsbergen
W. J. Zachariasse
G. W. Tate
N. McQuarrie
R. Harris
B. Duffy
author_facet F. M. Aben
M. J. Dekkers
R. R. Bakker
D. J. J. van Hinsbergen
W. J. Zachariasse
G. W. Tate
N. McQuarrie
R. Harris
B. Duffy
author_sort F. M. Aben
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Inconsistent polarity patterns in sediments are a common problem in magnetostratigraphic and paleomagnetic research. Multiple magnetic mineral generations result in such remanence “haystacks.” Here we test whether end‐member modeling of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves as a basis for an integrated rock magnetic and microscopic analysis is capable of isolating original magnetic polarity patterns. Uppermost Miocene‐Pliocene deep‐marine siliciclastics and limestones in East Timor, originally sampled to constrain the uplift history of the young Timor orogeny, serve as case study. An apparently straightforward polarity record was obtained that, however, proved impossible to reconcile with the associated biostratigraphy. Our analysis distinguished two magnetic end‐members for each section, which result from various greigite suites and a detrital magnetite suite. The latter yields largely viscous remanence signals and is deemed unsuited. The greigite suites are late diagenetic in the Cailaco River section and early diagenetic, thus reliable, in the Viqueque Type section. By selecting reliable sample levels based on a quality index, a revised polarity pattern of the latter section is obtained: consistent with the biostratigraphy and unequivocally correlatable to the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale. Although the Cailaco River section lacks a reliable magnetostratigraphy, it does record a significant postremagnetization tectonic rotation. Our results shows that the application of well‐designed rock magnetic research, based on the end‐member model and integrated with microscopy and paleomagnetic data, can unravel complex and seemingly inconsistent polarity patterns. We recommend this approach to assess the veracity of the polarity of strata with complex magnetic mineralogy.
format Article
id doaj-art-6d1ed0e93b2b490bb8727d6aeb28603c
institution Kabale University
issn 1525-2027
language English
publishDate 2014-06-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
spelling doaj-art-6d1ed0e93b2b490bb8727d6aeb28603c2025-08-20T03:26:49ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272014-06-011562531255410.1002/2014GC005294Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East TimorF. M. Aben0M. J. Dekkers1R. R. Bakker2D. J. J. van Hinsbergen3W. J. Zachariasse4G. W. Tate5N. McQuarrie6R. Harris7B. Duffy8Paleomagnetic Laboratory Fort HoofddijkUtrecht UniversityUtrecht NetherlandsPaleomagnetic Laboratory Fort HoofddijkUtrecht UniversityUtrecht NetherlandsPaleomagnetic Laboratory Fort HoofddijkUtrecht UniversityUtrecht NetherlandsDepartment of Earth SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrecht NetherlandsDepartment of Earth SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrecht NetherlandsGeosciences, Princeton UniversityPrinceton New Jersey USAGeology and Planetary ScienceUniversity of PittsburghPittsburgh Pennsylvania USADepartment of Geological SciencesBrigham Young UniversityProvo Utah USADepartment of Geological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurch New ZealandAbstract Inconsistent polarity patterns in sediments are a common problem in magnetostratigraphic and paleomagnetic research. Multiple magnetic mineral generations result in such remanence “haystacks.” Here we test whether end‐member modeling of isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition curves as a basis for an integrated rock magnetic and microscopic analysis is capable of isolating original magnetic polarity patterns. Uppermost Miocene‐Pliocene deep‐marine siliciclastics and limestones in East Timor, originally sampled to constrain the uplift history of the young Timor orogeny, serve as case study. An apparently straightforward polarity record was obtained that, however, proved impossible to reconcile with the associated biostratigraphy. Our analysis distinguished two magnetic end‐members for each section, which result from various greigite suites and a detrital magnetite suite. The latter yields largely viscous remanence signals and is deemed unsuited. The greigite suites are late diagenetic in the Cailaco River section and early diagenetic, thus reliable, in the Viqueque Type section. By selecting reliable sample levels based on a quality index, a revised polarity pattern of the latter section is obtained: consistent with the biostratigraphy and unequivocally correlatable to the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale. Although the Cailaco River section lacks a reliable magnetostratigraphy, it does record a significant postremagnetization tectonic rotation. Our results shows that the application of well‐designed rock magnetic research, based on the end‐member model and integrated with microscopy and paleomagnetic data, can unravel complex and seemingly inconsistent polarity patterns. We recommend this approach to assess the veracity of the polarity of strata with complex magnetic mineralogy.https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GC005294remagnetizationend‐member modelinggreigiteEast Timormagnetite
spellingShingle F. M. Aben
M. J. Dekkers
R. R. Bakker
D. J. J. van Hinsbergen
W. J. Zachariasse
G. W. Tate
N. McQuarrie
R. Harris
B. Duffy
Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
remagnetization
end‐member modeling
greigite
East Timor
magnetite
title Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
title_full Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
title_fullStr Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
title_full_unstemmed Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
title_short Untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis: A case study on Neogene sections in East Timor
title_sort untangling inconsistent magnetic polarity records through an integrated rock magnetic analysis a case study on neogene sections in east timor
topic remagnetization
end‐member modeling
greigite
East Timor
magnetite
url https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GC005294
work_keys_str_mv AT fmaben untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT mjdekkers untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT rrbakker untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT djjvanhinsbergen untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT wjzachariasse untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT gwtate untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT nmcquarrie untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT rharris untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor
AT bduffy untanglinginconsistentmagneticpolarityrecordsthroughanintegratedrockmagneticanalysisacasestudyonneogenesectionsineasttimor