An improved age for Earth's latest magnetic field reversal using radiometric dating
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The Earth's magnetic field experiences reversals such that north becomes south. The age of the latest reversal is unclear. Researchers have dated volcanic ash that was formed immediately before the last reversal. This result and chronology of the associated sedimentary rock identifies the age of the reversal as 780,000 years ago. This new age will contribute calibrating the geological time scale.
A team of researchers based in Japan and Canada have obtained an improved age for the MBB. The team studied volcanic ash that was deposited immediately before the MBB. This volcanic ash contains small crystals called zircons. Some of these crystals formed at the same time as the ash; thus, radiometric dating of these zircons using the uranium-lead method provided the exact age of the ash. To verify their findings, the researchers also used a different method to date sedimentary rock from the same place that was formed at the time of the MBB. The combined results demonstrate that the age of the MBB is 770.2 ± 7.3 thousand years ago. The research has been published in the journal Geology.
Dr. Yusuke Suganuma of the National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo, who is the lead author on the paper, commented: "This study is the first direct comparison of radiometric dating, dating of sediments, and the geomagnetic reversal for the Matuyama-Brunhes boundary. Our work contributes calibrating the geological time scale, and will be extremely important in future studies of the events that occurred at this time."
The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Research Organization of Information and Systems.