Yu-Min Chou: A Challenge of Paleomagnetism Research - Speleothem Magnetism
Channel: Institute for Rock Magnetism
Date: 2021-06-04

12th Institute for Rock Magnetism Conference

Session 3: Speleothem Magnetism 

Conveners: Josh Feinberg (IRM, University of Minnesota) and Ricardo Trindade (University of São Paulo)

Title: A Challenge of Paleomagnetism Research - Speleothem Magnetism

Author: Yu-Min Chou

Institution:
Center of Marine Magnetism (CM2), Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, China

Abstract:
Paleomagnetic research of geomagnetic reversals and excursions is limited fundamentally by smoothing of sedimentary records and by the lack of continuity and age control for lava records. These factors make it difficult to understand the highest frequency geomagnetic variations and whether the recording of such variations in sedimentary and lava archives is real or whether it is an artefact of other processes. Resolving these questions requires geological archives that enable independent assessment of such questions at high temporal resolution with commensurate age control. Calcite speleothem records have the potential to provide such much-needed high-resolution paleomagnetic records with continuing chronology over different geological time windows. The detrital particles, including magnetic minerals, are deposited on the speleothem from cave top rock or soil by dripping water, and block geomagnetic record instantly when speleothem growth. The advantage of U-Th dating technique provides absolute chronologies with high-precision. Nevertheless, there were only very a few studies have procured the goals due to extremely low magnetic mineral concentration in the samples and also the sensitivity of the used instruments before. To achieve the goals about improving the precise age intervals of the subchrons of the magnetostratigraphy by speleothems, high magnetic mineral concentration samples, highly sensitive instruments and advanced dating technique are required. In future study of speleothem magnetism, we want to achieve the topics of (1) clarify the deep-Earth dynamo of sub-centennial scale during polarity reversal and long-term secular variation, (2) precisely calendar Quaternary geomagnetic reversals and excursions, (3) approach new benchmark chronology for magnetostratigraphy.