Environmental Applications of Magnetic Measurements
Tien-Yen Lin
Abstract
There already have many investigations of environmental and climatic changes, which relate to transformation and movement of magnetic minerals between atomsphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and ecosphere.
Some environmental magnetic proxies are introduced here. Magnetic susceptibilities (£q) and saturation isothermal remanence magnetization (SIRM) usually reflect the concentration of magnetic minerals. As for remanent coercivity (BCR), it principally distinguishes types of natural magnetic minerals. The ratio of these parameters, such as SIRM /£q, represents the type and size of magnetic minerals. Using the variation of above parameters to deduce the possible environmental changes is widely applied for meteorology, hydrology, sedimentology, geomorphology, geophysics, and ecology because they”¦re more rapidly, easily, and nondestructively measured than the conventional method.
Here, we give many examples to see how the variations of the environmental magnetic proxies with time and spatial distribution, relate to pedogenesis, weathering, flooding, human activity, and etc. . The method used from artic-alpine to humid tropical and dated different time scales for different research goals and samples.
Reference
R. Thompson, J Bloemendal, J. A. Dearing, F. Oldfield, T. A. Rummery, J. C. Stober, G. M. Turner, 1980. Environmental applications of magnetic measurements. Science 207, 481-486.
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R. Thompson, D. J. Morton, 1979.Magnetic susceptibility and particle-size distribution in recent sediments of the Loch Lomond Drainage basin, Scotland. J. Sediment. Petrol. 49, 3, 801-812.
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