Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem

Abstract We provide a high‐resolution and complete paleomagnetic study from a middle‐Holocene (~4,100–3,300 years Before Common Era, BCE) dome‐shaped speleothem (SPAIV) from Algarve, Portugal. Our results show that the SPAIV speleothem carries a primary and stable remanent magnetization, for which d...

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Main Authors: J. M. Ponte, E. Font, C. Veiga‐Pires, C. Hillaire‐Marcel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-09-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007651
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author J. M. Ponte
E. Font
C. Veiga‐Pires
C. Hillaire‐Marcel
author_facet J. M. Ponte
E. Font
C. Veiga‐Pires
C. Hillaire‐Marcel
author_sort J. M. Ponte
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We provide a high‐resolution and complete paleomagnetic study from a middle‐Holocene (~4,100–3,300 years Before Common Era, BCE) dome‐shaped speleothem (SPAIV) from Algarve, Portugal. Our results show that the SPAIV speleothem carries a primary and stable remanent magnetization, for which directions are similar to other speleothems from the western Alps. Magnetic declination and inclination curves are also comparable to current paleosecular variation models (SHA.DIF.14k, CALS10k.1b, and pfm9k.1a), one of them (SHA.DIF.14k) fitting better with the present data set. Relative paleointensity was estimated using two different methods: conventional normalization of natural remanent magnetization by anhysteretic and isothermal, and the pseudo‐Thellier method, which is being tested here for the first time in a speleothem. Both methods show similar results, with a minimum intensity peak at ~3,850 years BCE. This low relative intensity is observed in all samples pertaining to the same respective calcite laminae. These results suggest that high growth rate speleothems are good high‐resolution recorders of the direction and intensity of the Earth's magnetic field.
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series Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
spelling doaj-art-71e9d0fdef1f4c82b6f7c1fb487709432025-08-20T02:35:36ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272018-09-011992962297210.1029/2018GC007651Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese SpeleothemJ. M. Ponte0E. Font1C. Veiga‐Pires2C. Hillaire‐Marcel3IDL‐FCUL, Instituto Dom Luís, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon PortugalIDL‐FCUL, Instituto Dom Luís, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon PortugalCIMA‐FCT Universidade do Algarve Faro PortugalGEOTOP Université du Québec Montreal Quebec CanadaAbstract We provide a high‐resolution and complete paleomagnetic study from a middle‐Holocene (~4,100–3,300 years Before Common Era, BCE) dome‐shaped speleothem (SPAIV) from Algarve, Portugal. Our results show that the SPAIV speleothem carries a primary and stable remanent magnetization, for which directions are similar to other speleothems from the western Alps. Magnetic declination and inclination curves are also comparable to current paleosecular variation models (SHA.DIF.14k, CALS10k.1b, and pfm9k.1a), one of them (SHA.DIF.14k) fitting better with the present data set. Relative paleointensity was estimated using two different methods: conventional normalization of natural remanent magnetization by anhysteretic and isothermal, and the pseudo‐Thellier method, which is being tested here for the first time in a speleothem. Both methods show similar results, with a minimum intensity peak at ~3,850 years BCE. This low relative intensity is observed in all samples pertaining to the same respective calcite laminae. These results suggest that high growth rate speleothems are good high‐resolution recorders of the direction and intensity of the Earth's magnetic field.https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007651speleothemsHolocenepaleosecular variationrelative paleointensity
spellingShingle J. M. Ponte
E. Font
C. Veiga‐Pires
C. Hillaire‐Marcel
Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
speleothems
Holocene
paleosecular variation
relative paleointensity
title Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
title_full Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
title_fullStr Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
title_full_unstemmed Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
title_short Speleothems as Magnetic Archives: Paleosecular Variation and a Relative Paleointensity Record From a Portuguese Speleothem
title_sort speleothems as magnetic archives paleosecular variation and a relative paleointensity record from a portuguese speleothem
topic speleothems
Holocene
paleosecular variation
relative paleointensity
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GC007651
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