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1. Paleointensity estimates from the Pleistocene of Northern Israel: Implications for hemispheric asymmetry in the time averaged field

   https://doi.org/10.1002/essoar.10511070.2  

   Tauxe, L.; Asefaw, H.; Behar, N.; Koppers, A.A.P.; Shaar, R. (June 2022, Geochemistry geophysics geosystems)

   Feinberg, Joshua (Ed.)

   Twenty-two sites, subjected to an IZZI-modified Thellier-Thellier experiment and strict selection criteria, recover a paleomagnetic axial dipole moment (PADM) of 62.24$$\pm$$ 30.6 ZAm$^2$ in Northern Israel over the Pleistocene (0.012 - 2.58 Ma). Pleistocene data from comparable studies from Antarctica, Iceland, and Hawaii, re-analyzed using the same criteria and age range, show that the Northern Israeli data are on average slightly higher than those from Iceland (PADM = 53.8 $$\pm$$ 23 ZAm$^2$$, n = 51 sites) and even higher than the Antarctica average %\cite{asefaw21} (PADM = 40.3 $$\pm$ 17.3 ZAm$^2$, n = 42 sites). Also, the data from the Hawaiian drill core, HSDP2, spanning the last half million years (PADM = 76.7 $$\pm$$ 21.3 ZAm$^2$, n = 59 sites) are higher than those from Northern Israel. These results, when compared to Pleistocene results filtered from the PINT database (www.pintdb.org) suggest that data from the Northern hemisphere mid-latitudes are on average higher than those from the southern hemisphere and than those from latitudes higher than 60$$^{\circ}$$N. The weaker intensities found at high (northern and southern) latitudes therefore, cannot be attributed to inadequate spatio-temporal sampling of a time-varying dipole moment or low quality data. The high fields in mid-latitude Northern hemisphere could result from long-lived non-axial dipole terms in the geomagnetic field with episodes of high field intensities occurring at different times in different longitudes. This hypothesis is supported by an asymmetry predicted from the Holocene, 100 kyr, and five million year time-averaged geomagnetic field models. 

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2. Changes in Non‐Dipolar Field Structure Over the Plio‐Pleistocene: New Paleointensity Results From Hawai'i Compared to Global Data Sets

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB026492  

   Cych, Brendan; Tauxe, Lisa; Cromwell, Geoffrey; Sinton, John; Koppers, Anthony A. P. (May 2023, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth)

   Abstract A foundational assumption in paleomagnetism is that the Earth's magnetic field behaves as a geocentric axial dipole (GAD) when averaged over sufficient timescales. Compilations of directional data averaged over the past 5 Ma yield a distribution largely compatible with GAD, but the distribution of paleointensity data over this timescale is incompatible. Reasons for the failure of GAD include: (a) Arbitrary “selection criteria” to eliminate “unreliable” data vary among studies, so the paleointensity database may include biased results. (b) The age distribution of existing paleointensity data varies with latitude, so different latitudinal averages represent different time periods. (c) The time‐averaged field could be truly non‐dipolar. Here, we present a consistent methodology for analyzing paleointensity results and comparing time‐averaged paleointensities from different studies. We apply it to data from Plio/Pleistocene Hawai'ian igneous rocks, sampled from fine‐grained, quickly cooled material (lava flow tops, dike margins and scoria cones) and subjected to the IZZI‐Thellier technique; the data were analyzed using the Bias Corrected Estimation of Paleointensity method of Cych et al. (2021,https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GC009755), which produces accurate paleointensity estimates without arbitrarily excluding specimens from the analysis. We constructed a paleointensity curve for Hawai'i over the Plio/Pleistocene using the method of Livermore et al. (2018,https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy383), which accounts for the age distribution of data. We demonstrate that even with the large uncertainties associated with obtaining a mean field from temporally sparse data, our average paleointensities obtained from Hawai'i and Antarctica (reanalyzed from Asefaw et al., 2021,https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020834) are not GAD‐like from 0 to 1.5 Ma but may be prior to that. 

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3. Analysis of Paleointensity Results Under Different Interpretation Approaches: A Case Study on the Korkhi Volcanic Sequence (Lesser Caucasus, Georgia)

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GC011382  

   Sánchez‐Moreno, Elisa M; Calvo‐Rathert, Manuel; Goguitchaichvili, Avto; Vashakidze, George T; Tauxe, Lisa; Camps, Pierre; Morales‐Contreras, Juan; Lebedev, Vladimir A; Vegas, Néstor; Pérez‐Rodriguez, Nayeli; et al (April 2025, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems)

   Abstract In this study we focus on the investigation of the absolute intensity records of two volcanic subsequences, aiming to enrich the global paleointensity database for the last 5 Ma, which currently shows important dispersion. We present new absolute paleointensities obtained from the Plio‐Pleistocene volcanic sequence of Korkhi (Djavakheti Highland, Georgia) (41°27′31″N, 43°27′55″E). Korkhi is divided into two lava flow subsequences dated at 3.11 ± 0.20 Ma and 1.85 ± 0.08 Ma. Paleomagnetic directions previously published (Sánchez‐Moreno et al., 2018,https://doi.org/10.1029/2017GC007358) show a normal polarity in the lower Korkhi subsequence and a reverse‐to‐intermediate polarity in the upper Korkhi subsequence. The new paleointensity determinations are obtained through two different Thellier‐type protocols (Thellier‐Thellier and IZZI) and the corrected multispecimen method. We utilize different selection criteria and interpretation approaches (TTB, CCRIT, BiCEP and multimethod), and we make a critical evaluation on their application on complex magnetic behaviors, such as often found in volcanic rocks. Finally, we obtained a paleointensity of 70 μT in upper Korkhi and 14 paleointensities in lower Korkhi that vary between 5.2 and 37.2 μT. These results agree with a recently proposed non‐Geocentric Axial Dipole (GAD) hypothesis for the last ∼1.5 Ma (Cych et al., 2023,https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB026492), and with low field strength for the 3–4 Ma. 

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4. High geomagnetic field intensity recorded by anorthosite xenoliths requires a strongly powered late Mesoproterozoic geodynamo

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2202875119  

   Zhang, Yiming; Swanson-Hysell, Nicholas L.; Avery, Margaret S.; Fu, Roger R. (July 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   Obtaining estimates of Earth’s magnetic field strength in deep time is complicated by nonideal rock magnetic behavior in many igneous rocks. In this study, we target anorthosite xenoliths that cooled and acquired their magnetization within ca. 1,092 Ma shallowly emplaced diabase intrusions of the North American Midcontinent Rift. In contrast to the diabase which fails to provide reliable paleointensity estimates, the anorthosite xenoliths are unusually high-fidelity recorders yielding high-quality, single-slope paleointensity results that are consistent at specimen and site levels. An average value of ∼83 ZAm 2 for the virtual dipole moment from the anorthosite xenoliths, with the highest site-level values up to ∼129 ZAm 2 , is higher than that of the dipole component of Earth’s magnetic field today and rivals the highest values in the paleointensity database. Such high intensities recorded by the anorthosite xenoliths require the existence of a strongly powered geodynamo at the time. Together with previous paleointensity data from other Midcontinent Rift rocks, these results indicate that a dynamo with strong power sources persisted for more than 14 My ca. 1.1 Ga. These data are inconsistent with there being a progressive monotonic decay of Earth’s dynamo strength through the Proterozoic Eon and could challenge the hypothesis of a young inner core. The multiple observed paleointensity transitions from weak to strong in the Paleozoic and the Proterozoic present challenges in identifying the onset of inner core nucleation based on paleointensity records alone. 

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5. Biomarker Evidence for an MIS M2 Glacial‐Pluvial in the Mojave Desert Before Warming and Drying in the Late Pliocene

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2023PA004687  

   Peaple, Mark D.; Bhattacharya, Tripti; Tierney, Jessica E.; Knott, Jeffrey R.; Lowenstein, Tim K.; Feakins, Sarah J. (January 2024, Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology)

   Abstract Ancient lake deposits in the Mojave Desert indicate that the water cycle in this currently dry place was radically different under past climates. Here we revisit a 700 m core drilled 55 years ago from Searles Valley, California, that recovered evidence for a lacustrine phase during the late Pliocene. We update the paleomagnetic age model and extract new biomarker evidence for climatic conditions from lacustrine deposits (3.373–2.706 Ma). The MBT′_5Metemperature proxy detects present‐day conditions (21 ± 3°C,n = 2) initially, followed by warmer‐than‐present conditions (25 ± 3°C,n = 17) starting at 3.268 and ending at 2.734 Ma. Bacterial and archeal biomarkers reveal lake salinity increased after 3.268 Ma likely reflecting increased evaporation in response to higher temperatures. The δ¹³C values of plant waxes (−30.7 ± 1.4‰,n = 28) are consistent with local C₃taxa, likely expanded conifer woodlands during the pluvial with less C₄than the Pleistocene. δD values (−174 ± 5‰,n = 25) of plant waxes indicate precipitation δD values (−89 ± 5‰,n = 25) in the late Pliocene are within the same range as the late Pleistocene precipitation δD. Microbial biomarkers identify a deep, freshwater lake and a cooling that corresponds to the onset of major Northern Hemisphere glaciation at marine isotope stage marine isotope stages M2 (3.3 Ma). A more saline lake persisted for ∼0.6 Ma across the subsequent warmth of the late Pliocene (3.268–2.734 Ma) before the lake desiccated at the Pleistocene intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. 

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