Magnetostratigraphic timescale of the Phanerozoic and its description using a cumulative distribution function

A method is proposed for quantified structuring of a magnetochronological scale of the Phanerozoic, i.e., the construction of a magnetostratigraphic timescale on the basis of a cumulative function of geomagnetic field asymmetry with regard for the polarity sign. Analysis of the cumulative curve reve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Izvestiya. Physics of the solid earth Vol. 43; no. 10; pp. 811 - 818
Main Authors:	Molostovskii, E. A., Pechersky, D. M., Frolov, I. Yu
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01-10-2007
Subjects:	Cenozoic Cretaceous Geomagnetic field Magnetic fields Mesozoic Paleogene Paleozoic Polarity Triassic
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	A method is proposed for quantified structuring of a magnetochronological scale of the Phanerozoic, i.e., the construction of a magnetostratigraphic timescale on the basis of a cumulative function of geomagnetic field asymmetry with regard for the polarity sign. Analysis of the cumulative curve reveals basic characteristic patterns of the field evolution in the Phanerozoic: the reversed polarity being predominant in this epoch, three megachrons of variable polarity are identified against this background: Paleozoic R13 (468-315 Ma), Mesozoic N6 (258-123 Ma), and Cenozoic R10 (83-0 Ma). The megachrons are subdivided into hyper-and superchrons and are separated by single polarity hyperchrons. Most important are changes in the general trend of the polarity bias in the Middle Triassic and at the Paleogene/Cretaceous boundary. Data of fractal and wavelet analyses suggest the presence of two regimes of geomagnetic field generation: chaotically distributed frequent reversals (geodynamo) and a stable polarity.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:	1069-3513 1555-6506
DOI:	10.1134/S1069351307100035