SAW-TOOTHED PATTERN OF SEDIMENTARY PALEOINTENSITY RECORDS EXPLAINED BY CUMULATIVE VISCOUS REMANENCE

Abstract

The relative paleointensity of the earth's magnetic field from ODP Site 851 has been characterized by progressive decay towards polarity reversals, followed by sharp recovery of pre-reversal values [1]. We resampled the Gilbert-Gausz reversal boundary of this deep-sea core, and show that during demagnetization this 'saw-toothed' pattern disappears. Further, the recently published Cumulative Viscous Remanence model [2] using the herewith obtained paleointensity record and constraints from thermal treatment replicates the saw-tooth of [1], implying that it is of non-geomagnetic origin.