Preliminary Characterization of Submarine Basalt Magnetic Mineralogy Using Amplitude-Dependence of Magnetic Susceptibility

The past similar to 200 million years of Earth's geomagnetic field behavior have been recorded within oceanic basalts, many of which are only accessible via scientific ocean drilling. Obtaining the best possible paleomagnetic measurements from such valuable samples requires an a priori understanding of their magnetic mineralogies when choosing the most appropriate protocol for stepwise demagnetization experiments (either alternating field or thermal). Here, we present a quick, and non-destructive method that utilizes the amplitude-dependence of magnetic susceptibility to screen submarine basalts prior to choosing a demagnetization protocol, whenever conducting a pilot study or other detailed rock-magnetic characterization is not possible. We demonstrate this method using samples acquired during International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 391. Our approach is rooted in the observation that amplitude-dependent magnetic susceptibility is observed in basalt samples whose dominant magnetic carrier is multidomain titanomagnetite (similar to TM60-65, (Ti0.60-0.65Fe0.35-0.40)Fe2O4). Samples with low Ti contents within titanomagnetite or samples that have experienced a high degree of oxidative weathering do not display appreciable amplitude dependence. Due to their low Curie temperatures, basalts that possess amplitude-dependence should ideally be demagnetized either using alternating fields or via finely-spaced thermal demagnetization heating steps below 300 degrees C. Our screening method can enhance the success rate of paleomagnetic studies of oceanic basalt samples. Oceanic basalts are ideal recorders of the Earth's magnetic field. To decipher magnetic histories recorded in rocks, paleomagnetists need to isolate the magnetization directions and intensities within rocks by one of two possible methods. One method typically involves progressively heating the samples to high temperatures. The other method involves exposing samples to alternating magnetic fields with increasing peak field intensities. Both of these methods are ultimately destructive to the original magnetization preserved within rocks. However, without knowledge of a given rock's magnetic mineralogy, randomly choosing thermal or alternating field demagnetization methods may result in high failure rates. We developed a pre-screening method to help decide which cleaning method will likely be more successful for a given sample based on low-field magnetic susceptibility measurements. These measurements do not affect the original magnetic information recorded in a rock, thereby permitting subsequent paleomagnetic studies on the same sample. Our technique can be performed as rapidly as 2 min per sample, is non-destructive, and does not require complicated sample preparation. Paleomagnetic studies utilize either alternating field or thermal demagnetization, but it is difficult to choose the best protocol a priori Amplitude-dependence of magnetic susceptibility measurements permits preliminary magnetic mineralogy characterization in submarine basalts Rapid amplitude-dependence measurements may aid in deciding upon the best demagnetization protocol for submarine basalt samples