Natural remanent magnetization

Natural remanent magnetization (NRM) is the permanent magnetism of a rock or sediment. In some forms, it can preserve a record of the Earth's field and the tectonic movement of the rock over millions of years. Natural remanent magnetization forms the basis of paleomagnetism and magnetostratigraphy.

Types of natural remanent magnetization

There are several kinds of NRM that can occur in a sample. Many samples have more than one kind superimposed. Thermoremanent magnetization (TRM) is acquired during cooling through the Curie temperature of the magnetic minerals and is the best source of information on the past Earth's field. Magnetization formed by phase change, chemical action or growth of crystals at low temperature is called chemical remanent magnetization. Sediments acquire a depositional remanent magnetization during their formation or a post-depositional remanent magnetization afterwards.[1]

Some kinds of remanence are undesirable and must be removed before the useful remanence is measured. One is isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM), which as a component of NRM induced through exposing a particle to a large magnetic field, causing the field to flip its lower coercivity magnetic moments to a field-favored direction. A commonly cited mechanism of IRM acquisition is through lightning strikes. Another is viscous remanent magnetization (VRM), a remanence acquired when the rock sits in the Earth's field for long periods.[1]

The most important component of remanence is that acquired when a rock formed. This is called its primary component or characteristic remanent magnetization (ChRM). Any later component is called a secondary component. To separate these components, the NRM is stripped away in a stepwise manner using thermal or alternating field demagnetization techniques to reveal the stable magnetic component.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 McElhinny & McFadden 2000

References

  • Dunlop, David J.; Özdemir, Özden (1997). Rock Magnetism: Fundamentals and Frontiers. Cambridge Univ. Press. ISBN 0-521-32514-5. 
  • Nagata, T (1989). "Natural remanent magnetization (NRM)". Geophysics. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Spinger US. pp. 855–857. doi:10.1007/0-387-30752-4_103. ISBN 978-0-387-30752-7. 
  • Nichols, Gary (1999). Sedimentology & Stratigraphy (1st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-0-632-03578-6. 
  • McElhinny, Michael W.; McFadden, Phillip L. (2000). Paleomagnetism: Continents and Oceans. Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-483355-1. 
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