Use of environmental magnetic measurements to characterize and correlate tephra: a case study in Iceland

• Main Authors: Ming, J., Dearing, J.A., Chiverrell, R.C., Bloemendal, J., Xia, D.S.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/55661/

A set of environmental magnetic parameters (i.e. magnetic susceptibility, ?ARM, IRMs, hysteresis loops and thermomagnetic curves) has been applied to two soil sections from SE Iceland. Results demonstrate that the main magnetic minerals in the tephras are ferrimagnetic minerals (e.g. magnetite) and canted antiferromagnetic minerals (e.g. haematite), with abundant paramagnetic material also present. Cross plots of Mrs/Ms vs. (B0)cr/(B0)c and ?fd? vs. ?ARM/SIRM indicate that the main magnetic grain sizes in tephras are pseudo single domain (PSD) and multidomain (MD). Initial correlation of tephra layers was achieved, using all the measured magnetic parameters, by use of the multivariate statistical measures of Similarity Coefficient (SC) and Euclidean Distance (ED). This demonstrates that magnetic techniques can potentially assist in the identification and correlation of distal tephra.