Magnetostratigraphy and Polarity transitions studies of lavas of the island of Lanai, Hawaii

University Of Hawaii, Honolulu

Investigators

Abstract

Paleomagnetic data are the unique source of observations to understand the geomagnetic transitions and hence the geodynamo processes involved in field generation. However, because reversals and excursions occur over a few thousands years at most, it is a real challenge to acquire detailed paleomagnetic information about the reversing and the transitional field. In addition, due to the fact that there is a real need to obtain reversal records from long volcanic sequences in order to have a better understanding of the generation of the field, we propose to study in detail, a long volcanic sequence (about 320 meters) of lavas from the island of Lanai with the main objective of investigating the directional behavior (i.e. Declination and Inclination) as well as the geomagnetic field strength recorded before during and after several successive polarity transitions registered by the Lanai section. We have already identified a volcanic section on the island of Lanai (Hawaii) covering about 400,000 years of geomagnetic field changes that includes the possibility of studying the detailed records of the successive Gilsa, Gardar, Bjorn and Cobb Mountain Subchron and excursions, since the base of the section is 1.6 +/-0.08 Ma old according to Ar/Ar radiometric age determinations. We also propose to do additional high precision Ar/Ar radiometric dating of the reversal boundaries and the expected excursions of the Lanai lava sequences. It is clear that proper analysis of these observations requires documenting the total field vector and therefore conducting an exhaustive study of the directional changes and absolute paleointensity of the paleo-field recorded by the sequence of lava flows of the Lanai Volcano is proposed here. The objectives of this two year proposed study are primarily related to the knowledge of the field variations during periods like reversals and excursions but also related to the critical time intervals that precede and follow reversals that so far have only been documented from a few sedimentary sequences with conflicting observations, particularly for the interval between 1.6 to ~1.2 Million years that is still not very well defined in terms of the above mentioned reversals and excursions of the geomagnetic field. Reversal studies cannot be separated from the surrounding polarity intervals and most records published so far were not long enough to provide complete information. The Lanai sequence offers the first exceptional opportunity to study field changes over a time period that includes several polarity intervals and thus documents the paleofield behavior over various time constants. This is a basic condition to extract and bring up significant constraints for the theoretical and numerical modeling of the geodynamo. The principal investigator and three undergraduate student(s) will carry out the entire scientific research project proposed here. The involvement of undergraduate students will be a priority in this project, from fieldwork through lab work, analysis and publication. The project will help support a US scientist of an underrepresented ethnic group (the PI). Data will be disseminated through publication the web and community maintained paleomagnetic databases. This project will also provide the stimulus to maintain the paleomagnetics and petrofabrics operation at UH which is used by a diverse group of students and researchers from all over the world.