Magnetolithologic and magnetomineralogical characteristics of sediments at the Mesozoic/Cenozoic boundary: The Koshak section (Mangyshlak peninsula)

Results of a detailed petromagnetic study of sediments of the Koshak section, including the Mesozoic/Cenozoic (K/T) boundary, are presented. The rocks are shown to have a very low magnetization. A relatively high magnetization is characteristic of two thin clayey beds, one at the K/T boundary and the other 0.6 m above it: χ up to 2.5 × 109 m3/kg, Ms up to 0.6 × 103 A m2/kg, and Mrs up to 0.4 × 103 A m2/kg. This is related to relatively high concentrations of hemoilmenite (up to 0.2%), magnetite (up to 0.01%), and goethite (up to 0.24%) in these beds. It is evident that the distribution of these magnetic minerals is lithologically controlled (the predominant occurrence in clayey beds), which is expressed, in particular, in the relation between the paramagnetic (clayey) and diamagnetic (carbonate) contributions to the magnetization of the sediments. Thus, clayey interbeds are sharply distinguished by the value of the paramagnetic magnetization (Mp = (83-86) × 105 A m2/kg) as compared with purely diamagnetic chalk Md = -(26-35) × 105 A m2/kg). Minor concentrations of metallic iron (up to ∼0.002%) discovered in the sediments have a lithologically uncontrolled distribution (metallic iron is more often observed near the K/T boundary rather than in clayey beds). Most probably, magnetite, hemoilmenite, and goethite were accumulated mostly with clay and other terrigenous material, while fine particles of iron are likely to have been dispersed by air. The whole set of the data of this work suggests that the K/T boundary is not distinguished by characteristic magnetomineralogical and magnetolithologic features. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc. 2006

Magnetic properties of the boundary layer at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the Gams section, Eastern Alps, Austria

The paper is concerned with the detailed sectional petromagnetic study of boundary clay in four 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B Gams sections (in Austria). The composition of basic magnetic minerals in the boundary clay of all sections is similar. They are composed of iron hydroxides, hemoilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, hematite, and iron. The difference is the presence in the Gams-1 section of metallic nickel, which is absent in the Gams-2 section, and the presence in the latter of iron sulfides of the pyrite type. Grains of titanomagnetite and ilmenite, connected with volcanic activity, are nonuniformly distributed in the boundary layer, which indicates their irregular precipitation in time. The ensemble of magnetic grains is characterized by high coercitivity. The boundary layer is characterized by an increased content of iron hydroxides. This effect is a global phenomenon and is irrelevant to the local physicogeographical conditions. Such a characteristic of impact events as the particles of metallic iron is almost absent in the boundary layer. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009

Petromagnetic and paleomagnetic characterization deposits at Mesozoic/Cenozoic boundary: The Tetritskaro section (Georgia)

Petromagnetic and magnetostratigraphic characteristics are obtained for the Tetritskaro section. The boundary layer at the Mesozoic/Cenozoic (K/T) boundary is fixed primarily by an abrupt rise in the paramagnetic magnetization (total Fe concentration) and, to a lesser degree, by an increase in the concentration of such magnetic minerals as goethite, hemoilmenite, and magnetite. The along-section distribution of titanomagnetite of volcanic origin and metallic iron of cosmic origin does not correlate with the K/T boundary and lithologic properties of the sediments. The boundary of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic geological eras lies within the reversed polarity chron C29r and is marked by an abrupt rise in the geomagnetic field paleointensity and an instability of paleomagnetic directions, rather than by a polarity change. The accumulation time of the boundary clay layer is about 1.5-2 kyr, while abrupt changes in the paleointensity and direction of the geomagnetic field encompass 30-40 kyr. Such long occurrence intervals of the events in question cannot be related to a short-term impact phenomenon. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009

Petromagnetic features of sediments at the Mesozoic-Cenozoic boundary: Results from the Gams section

The paper continues a cycle of petromagnetic investigations of epicontinental deposits at the Mesozoic-Cenozoic (K/T) boundary and is devoted to the study of the Gams section (Austria). Using thermomagnetic analysis, the following magnetic phases are identified: goethite (TC = 90-150°C), hemoilmenite (TC = 200-300°C), metallic nickel (TC = 350-360°C), magnetite and titanomagnetite (T C = 550-610°C), Fe-Ni alloy (TC = 640-660°C), and metallic iron (TC = 740-770°C). Their concentrations are determined from M (T). In all samples, ensembles of magnetic grains have similar coercivity spectra and are characterized by a high coercivity. An exception is the lower coercivity of the boundary clay layer due to grains of metallic nickel and iron. With rare exceptions, the studied sediments are anisotropic and generally possess a magnetic foliation, which indicates a terrigenous accumulation of magnetic minerals. Many samples of sandy-clayey rocks have an inverse magnetic fabric associated with the presence of acicular goethite. The values of paramagnetic and diamagnetic components in the deposits are calculated. According to the results obtained, the K/T boundary is marked by a sharp increase in the concentration of Fe hydroxides. The distribution of titanomagnetite reflects its dispersal during eruptive activity, which is better expressed in the Maastrichtian and at the base of the layer J. The along-section distribution of metallic iron, most likely of cosmic origin, is rather uniformly chaotic. The presence of nickel, most probably of impact origin, is a particularly local phenomenon as yet. The K/T boundary is not directly related to an impact event. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2008

A Study on Objectives of Risk Manegement

The composition and distribution of particles of native iron in eight sections of the Cretaceous-Danian sediments in the Caucasus, Crimea and Kopet Dagh were studied using thermomagnetic analysis up to 800°C. Iron particles are found in 330 of 571 tested samples, their percentage varies from 10-5 to 0.05%, and their distribution is bimodal. It was established that the Santonian sediments of the Caucasus and Kara-Kala are enriched with the iron particles; the upper boundary of these sediments is marked by a sharp drop in the iron content at approximately 84 Ma, which coincides with the upper boundary of the Dzhalal hyperchron. The variations in the Curie point of iron from 680°C up to 780°C reflect the fluctuations of the nickel admixture. A peak of the elevated iron content with nearly constant nickel of 5% was found in all studied sections, i. e., this is a global effect. The global pattern of the distribution and composition of the iron particles clearly indicates that their origin is associated with cosmic dust. At the same time, the particles of Ni-Fe alloy and pure nickel are very rare, and their concentration does not correlate with the content of iron particles. Apparently, there are very few Ni-Fe and pure nickel particles in cosmic dust, and, most likely, the particles of Ni-Fe alloy are mainly due to impact events. © 2011 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Native iron and other magnetic minerals in the sediments of the northwestern Atlantic: Thermomagnetic and microprobe evidence

The thermomagnetic and microprobe analyses of sedimentary samples from DSDP 386, 387, 391A, and 391C boreholes in the northwestern Atlantic reveal the ubiquitous occurrence of particles of native iron. The concentrations of native iron are bimodal everywhere with the zero mode necessarily present. The nickel admixture in native iron forms two groups, one represented by pure iron and the comprising native iron with 5-6% Ni. The redeposition of iron particles manifests itself in the correlation between the concentrations of these particles and terrestrial minerals (magnetite), as well as in the equalization and reduction of the concentration of the iron particles. Pyrite and pyrrhotite are widespread in the studied sediments, and the distribution of native iron does not depend on the presence of pyrite (i.e., on redox conditions) in them. At the same time, the distributions of pyrite and particles of magnetite + titanomagnetite are inversely correlated, which can probably be accounted for by the partial dissolution of magnetite and titanomagnetite in the reducing conditions. The increased concentration of particles of volcanogenic homogeneous titanomagnetite is revealed in the volcanoclastic turbidites of the Oligocene and early and middle Miocene age at the base of the Bermuda Rise (borehole 386). The titanomagnetite composition is characteristic of the basalts of plume magmatism; it corresponds to the depth of the magmatic source in the interval of 50-25 km. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Magnetic properties of the boundary layer at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the Gams section, Eastern Alps, Austria

The paper is concerned with the detailed sectional petromagnetic study of boundary clay in four 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B Gams sections (in Austria). The composition of basic magnetic minerals in the boundary clay of all sections is similar. They are composed of iron hydroxides, hemoilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, hematite, and iron. The difference is the presence in the Gams-1 section of metallic nickel, which is absent in the Gams-2 section, and the presence in the latter of iron sulfides of the pyrite type. Grains of titanomagnetite and ilmenite, connected with volcanic activity, are nonuniformly distributed in the boundary layer, which indicates their irregular precipitation in time. The ensemble of magnetic grains is characterized by high coercitivity. The boundary layer is characterized by an increased content of iron hydroxides. This effect is a global phenomenon and is irrelevant to the local physicogeographical conditions. Such a characteristic of impact events as the particles of metallic iron is almost absent in the boundary layer. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009

Magnetic properties of the boundary layer at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the Gams section, Eastern Alps, Austria

The paper is concerned with the detailed sectional petromagnetic study of boundary clay in four 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B Gams sections (in Austria). The composition of basic magnetic minerals in the boundary clay of all sections is similar. They are composed of iron hydroxides, hemoilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, hematite, and iron. The difference is the presence in the Gams-1 section of metallic nickel, which is absent in the Gams-2 section, and the presence in the latter of iron sulfides of the pyrite type. Grains of titanomagnetite and ilmenite, connected with volcanic activity, are nonuniformly distributed in the boundary layer, which indicates their irregular precipitation in time. The ensemble of magnetic grains is characterized by high coercitivity. The boundary layer is characterized by an increased content of iron hydroxides. This effect is a global phenomenon and is irrelevant to the local physicogeographical conditions. Such a characteristic of impact events as the particles of metallic iron is almost absent in the boundary layer. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009

Magnetolithologic and magnetomineralogical characteristics of sediments at the Mesozoic/Cenozoic boundary: The Koshak section (Mangyshlak peninsula)

Results of a detailed petromagnetic study of sediments of the Koshak section, including the Mesozoic/Cenozoic (K/T) boundary, are presented. The rocks are shown to have a very low magnetization. A relatively high magnetization is characteristic of two thin clayey beds, one at the K/T boundary and the other 0.6 m above it: χ up to 2.5 × 109 m3/kg, Ms up to 0.6 × 103 A m2/kg, and Mrs up to 0.4 × 103 A m2/kg. This is related to relatively high concentrations of hemoilmenite (up to 0.2%), magnetite (up to 0.01%), and goethite (up to 0.24%) in these beds. It is evident that the distribution of these magnetic minerals is lithologically controlled (the predominant occurrence in clayey beds), which is expressed, in particular, in the relation between the paramagnetic (clayey) and diamagnetic (carbonate) contributions to the magnetization of the sediments. Thus, clayey interbeds are sharply distinguished by the value of the paramagnetic magnetization (Mp = (83-86) × 105 A m2/kg) as compared with purely diamagnetic chalk Md = -(26-35) × 105 A m2/kg). Minor concentrations of metallic iron (up to ∼0.002%) discovered in the sediments have a lithologically uncontrolled distribution (metallic iron is more often observed near the K/T boundary rather than in clayey beds). Most probably, magnetite, hemoilmenite, and goethite were accumulated mostly with clay and other terrigenous material, while fine particles of iron are likely to have been dispersed by air. The whole set of the data of this work suggests that the K/T boundary is not distinguished by characteristic magnetomineralogical and magnetolithologic features. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc. 2006

Magnetic properties of the boundary layer at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary in the Gams section, Eastern Alps, Austria

The paper is concerned with the detailed sectional petromagnetic study of boundary clay in four 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B Gams sections (in Austria). The composition of basic magnetic minerals in the boundary clay of all sections is similar. They are composed of iron hydroxides, hemoilmenite, titanomagnetite, magnetite, hematite, and iron. The difference is the presence in the Gams-1 section of metallic nickel, which is absent in the Gams-2 section, and the presence in the latter of iron sulfides of the pyrite type. Grains of titanomagnetite and ilmenite, connected with volcanic activity, are nonuniformly distributed in the boundary layer, which indicates their irregular precipitation in time. The ensemble of magnetic grains is characterized by high coercitivity. The boundary layer is characterized by an increased content of iron hydroxides. This effect is a global phenomenon and is irrelevant to the local physicogeographical conditions. Such a characteristic of impact events as the particles of metallic iron is almost absent in the boundary layer. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009