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A Southern Hemisphere record of the Matuyama-Brunhes polarity reversal

Clement, Bradford M.; Kent, Dennis V.

We present a record of the Matuyama-Brunhes (0.73 Ma) polarity transition from a southern hemisphere deepsea sediment core (V16-58; 46°S, 30°E). The transition is recorded across at least 30 cm of section and is defined by a nearly 180° change in directions which occurs during a low in the relative intensities. An increase in the 10Be/9Be ratios associated with the intensity low suggests that the relative intensities may document a decrease in the strength of the geomagnetic field. The virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) path is neither clearly near- or far-sided, but tracks approximately 120° west of the site longitude. Considered with other Matuyama-Brunhes transition records, this southern hemisphere record supports previous interpretations that the Matuyama-Brunhes transitional field was not dipolar. Instead, the V16-58 transition together with other records of this reversal recently obtained from this longitudinal sector suggests that nonzonal terms which are symmetric about the equator were important during this transitional field.

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Title
Geophysical Research Letters
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/90GL02714

More About This Work

Academic Units
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Biology and Paleo Environment
Published Here
August 2, 2011