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A Few Characteristic Features of the Geomagnetic Field During Reversals

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The Earth's Magnetic Interior

Part of the book series: IAGA Special Sopron Book Series ((IAGA,volume 1))

Abstract

Volcanic records of reversals are mostly exempt of complications linked to their magnetization process and thus potentially tell us the most significant story about the field variations prevailing during these periods. We have found no convincing indication supporting the presence of long-term non-zonal features governing the transitional field. A few VGP paths seem to be controlled by flux patches of the present non-axial dipole field lying immediately below the sites, but the detailed reversal records are characterized by scattered VGPs that are not related to anomalies of the present non axial dipole field. Assuming that clusters of VGPs over Australia would be associated with an hypothetical time persistence of the present anomaly in this area, then the geometry of the transitional field would have to be controlled by the equatorial dipole, since it is responsible for the present Australian patch. This is difficult to reconcile with our present knowledge of the variability of the equatorial dipole as well as with the structure of most detailed VGP paths. In fact, the existence of complex directional changes with rebounds and precursors in the detailed volcanic records reflect the persistence and the amplification of secular variation following the collapse of the axial dipole. We have now learned much more about the evolution of the axial dipole from studies of relative paleointensity in sediments but also from the records of absolute paleointensity that have been obtained for a few volcanic records. The data converge to indicate asymmetrical pre- and post-reversal phases but also a systematic overshoot marking the end of the recovery phase. These features can be explained by a dynamical model assuming a coupling of the Earth’s dipole with the quadrupolar mode during reversals.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support to J-P Valet and L. Meynadier was provided through the CNRS-INSU Interieur de la Terre Program, IPGP contribution # 3010. Financial support to E.H-B was provided by SOEST-HIGP and by the National Science Foundation grants EAR-0510061, EAR-0710571, EAR-1015329, and NSF EPSCoR Program. This is a SOEST 8145 and HIGP 1888 contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris Cedex 05, France

    Jean-Pierre Valet

  2. Paleomagnetics and Petrofabrics Laboratory, School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology (SOEST), Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP), 1680 East West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, USA

    Emilio Herrero-Bervera

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  1. Jean-Pierre Valet
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  2. Emilio Herrero-Bervera
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Correspondence to Jean-Pierre Valet .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geophysical Institute, ASCR Praha, Bocni II / 1401, Praha 4, 141 31, Czech Republic

    Eduard Petrovský

  2. School of Mathematics & Statistics, Dept. Pure Mathematics, University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, New South Wales, Australia

    David Ivers

  3. National Geophysical Research Institute, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500007, India

    T Harinarayana

  4. School of Ocean & Earth Science &, Technology (SOEST), University of Hawaii, East-West Road 1680, Honolulu, 96822, Hawaii, USA

    Emilio Herrero-Bervera

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Valet, JP., Herrero-Bervera, E. (2011). A Few Characteristic Features of the Geomagnetic Field During Reversals. In: Petrovský, E., Ivers, D., Harinarayana, T., Herrero-Bervera, E. (eds) The Earth's Magnetic Interior. IAGA Special Sopron Book Series, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0323-0_10

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