CMG COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Magnetic Viscosity and Thermoremanent Magnetization in Interacting Single-domain Ferromagnets

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

Many major hypotheses about the geology of pre-Mesozoic eras rely critically on paleomagnetic data. Magnetic remanence in rocks records the ancient magnetic field and provides information on plate tectonics and the history of the geodynamo. For the remanence to be useful, it must remain stable as the rocks are subjected to temperature increases, pressure, and changes in the chemical environment. Suitable rocks become increasingly rare as their age increases. In pre-Mesozoic rocks, many of the most promising magnetic recorders do not fit the standard model for good paleomagnetic recorders because the magnetic minerals interact with each other through magnetic fields. If these interactions are not properly accounted for, paleomagnetic measurements can be misleading. The effect of interactions is complicated by thermal relaxation of the magnetic moments in which the magnetization jumps over energy barriers between stable states. The greatest challenge facing models of interacting magnets is to find these energy barriers. The object of this proposal is to harness some powerful methods from numerical algebraic geometry to calculate the magnetic effects of particle interactions and thermal fluctuations. The equilibrium equations for interacting magnets can be expressed as systems of polynomial equations. Methods will be developed to find all the stable states and transition states for such systems using homotopy continuation. The time dependence of the magnetization can then be expressed as a set of kinetic equations. There will be three main applications of this theory: 1. A theory of remanence acquisition and demagnetization for titanomagnetite inclusions in sub-aerial basalts and Precambrian shields. These titanomagnetites are often networks of strongly interacting magnetite grains separated by ilmenite lamellae. The effect of particle interactions and grain growth on the accuracy of paleointensity measurements will be determined. 2. A model of isothermal hysteresis measurements of sedimentary systems involving single-domain and superparamagnetic particles that may have significant interactions. These include remagnetized carbonates, sediments with fossil magnetotactic bacteria, and sediments with greigite or pyrrhotite. Such systems can carry important information on ancient environments and human impacts. 3. A model of measurements involving oscillating fields, including anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM) and alternating field demagnetization of remanence. These measurements are common tools in paleomagnetic analysis.