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New evidence for extraordinarily rapid change of the geomagnetic field during a reversal

Nature volume 374, pages 687–692 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

Palaeomagnetic results from lava flows recording a geomagnetic polarity reversal at Steens Mountain, Oregon suggest the occurrence of brief episodes of astonishingly rapid field change of six degrees per day. The evidence is large, systematic variations in the direction of remanent magnetization as a function of the temperature of thermal demagnetization and of vertical position within a single flow, which are most simply explained by the hypothesis that the field was changing direction as the flow cooled.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Earth Sciences Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA

    R. S. Coe

  2. Laboratoire de Géophysique et Tectonique, Université de Montpellier 2, URA CNRS 1760, 34095, Montpellier, Cédex 05, France

    M. Prévot & P. Camps

Authors
  1. R. S. Coe
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  2. M. Prévot
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  3. P. Camps
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Coe, R., Prévot, M. & Camps, P. New evidence for extraordinarily rapid change of the geomagnetic field during a reversal. Nature 374, 687–692 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/374687a0

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