Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Latitudinal dependency of geomagnetic polarity transition durations

Abstract

Palaeomagnetic records of the Matuyama–Brunhes polarity transition were obtained from seven, low sedimentation rate, deep-sea cores from the Pacific Ocean. The cores were taken near the 180° meridian and provide a latitudinal transect of transition records extending from 45.3° N to 33.4° S. Examination of these records suggests that low sedimentation rate cores may not be capable of recording the fine details of transitional field behaviour, but there are indications that these cores may, in fact, provide accurate records of the more general features of the reversal. Most notable of these features is that the duration of the transition is dependent on the site latitude, with durations at mid-latitudes being more than a factor of 2 longer than at equatorial latitudes.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hillhouse, J. & Cox, A. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 29, 51–64 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fuller, M., Williams, I. & Huffman, K. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 17, 179–203 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kawai, N., Otofuji, Y. & Kobayashi, K., J. Geomagn. Geoelectr. 28, 395–412 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Clement, B., Kent, D. & Opdyke, N. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A306, 113–119 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Clement, B. & Kent, D. J. geophys. Res. 89, 1049–1058 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ninkovitch, D., Opdyke, N., Heezen, B. & Foster, J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 1, 476–492 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Fisher, F. Proc. R. Soc. A217, 295–305 (1953).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hoffman, K. Science 196, 1329–1332 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Harrison, C. & Somayajulu, B. Nature 212, 1193–1195 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Niitsuma, N. Tohuku Univ. Sci. Rep. 2nd Ser. 43, 1–39 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Valet, J-P. & Laj, C. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 54, 53–63 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Hammond, S., Seyb, S. & Theyer, F. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 44, 165–175 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tucker, P. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 63, 149–163 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Williams, I. & Fuller, M. J. geophys. Res. 87, 11,657–11,665 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Parker, E. Astrophys. J. 158, 815 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Levy, E. Astrophys. J. 171, 621 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Clement, B., Kent, D. Latitudinal dependency of geomagnetic polarity transition durations. Nature 310, 488–491 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310488a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/310488a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing