ABOUT THE LAB
The paleomagnetics lab at the University of Puget Sound is supervised by Dr. Michael J. Valentine in the Geology Department at the university. It is housed in Thompson Hall room 141 on the U.P.S. campus and has been operating since early 1997. Funding for the lab came from the U.P.S. Geology Department budget and from a National Science Foundation-Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Grant matched by funds from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The lab is used as a teaching tool as well as for student and faculty research. As of the end of 1998, the lab has been used exclusively by U.P.S. students and faculty, but it is available for use by outside researchers as well. If interested, contact Mike Valentine.EQUIPMENT
The paleomagnetics lab provides facilities for students and faculty to conduct standard paleomagnetic research involving measurement of natural remanent magnetism (NRM), performance of alternating field (AF) and thermal demagnetization studies, and determination of paleointensities. Equipment available includes:- Pomeroy gas-powered diamond-bit rock drill (1" inside diameter) for sampling
- battery-powered electric diamond-bit rock drill (3/8" & 1/2" inside diameters) for sampling
- Pomeroy drill-hole clinometer for orienting sample cores in the field (all diameters)
- ASC dual diamond-blade rock saw for trimming cores
- MOLSPIN Minispin Rock Magnetometer with MS2 Serial Interface for sample analysis
- MOLSPIN shielded AF specimen demagnetizer (1000 oe peak field strength)
- ASC TD48 thermal speciment demagnetizer with full-length axial degaussing coil
- Compaq Prolinea Computer for controlling spinner magnetometer and data reduction
TEACHING USES
The paleomagnetic lab has been used as a teaching tool in an introductory geophysics class, The Geology 151- Earth Revealed. This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students to methods used by geologists and geophysicists to examine parts of the Earth that are not directly observable. A class lab exercise uses paleomagnetic analysis to look at differences in observed and expected paleomagnetic directions for 15-17 My old volcanic rocks from southwestern Washington. This data is, in turn, used to determine whether or not significant translations and/or rotations of these rocks have occurred since they were erupted. From this information, inferences about plate tectonic processes along the western margin of North America are made.Paleomagnetic analysis has also been integrated into Geology 302- Structural Geology and Tectonics. Folded Tertiary sediments in the North Cascades were sampled and a fold test performed to determine if remanence was acquired prior or subsequent to deformation. Since the lab is relatively new, paleomagnetic techniques have not yet been used in other courses. It is anticipated that Geology 202- Petrology and Geology 402- Advanced Historical Geology will incorporate the paleomagnetics into future lab exercises.
RESEARCH USES
Student Research
Independent research is conducted by all Geology majors at the University of Puget Sound during their junior/senior years and involves at least one faculty member as a mentor. A number of undergraduate students have used the paleomagnetics lab this research. The following senior thesis research has been accomplished or is in progress using the new paleomagnetics lab:Czarnecki, Jill J., 1997, Paleomagnetism of Ascension Island Basalts
Hargrave, Eric V., 1997, Paleomagnetism of the Chinle Formation at Ghost Ranch , New Mexico: Age constraints for Coelophysis bauri
Young, Megan, 1997, Paleomagnetism of the Southern Crescent Formation, Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Nyberg, Emilie, 1998, The Magnetostratigraphy of the Crescent Basalts, Olympic Mountains, Washington
Normand, Amanda, 1998, Magnetostratigraphy of the Crescent Basalts, Olympic Mountains, Washington
Taylor, Bryon, 1998, Paleomagnetism of the Crescent Formation Basalts, Olympic Mountains, Washington
McKenzie-Johnson, Alex, 1999, Transitional Geomagnetic Pole Positions Recorded in the Boring Lava Field of Oregon
Schmitt, Kate, 1999, Geomagnetic Pole Positions of the Santiam Pass and Boring Lavas
Kaufhold, Jamie, 1999, Paleomagnetism and magnetic mineralogy of the Crescent Formation basalts, Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Hagerman, K., 1999, Age and petrology of Tum-Tum Mountain, southwestern Washington.
Dr. Mike Valentine has been conducting paleomagnetic studies focused on reversals of the geomagnetic field. In conjunction with Czarnecki's work on Ascension basalts, further paleomagnetic analysis of Ascension samples identified of a number of transitional directions recorded in these rocks. Results were presented at the Spring 1997 AGU (see below) and a follow-up proposal to return to Ascension Island for a more complete paleomagnetic studies has been submitted to the National Science Foundation.
ABSTRACTS:
Michael J. Valentine Office: Thompson 148 FAX: (253) 879-3352
Go to Mike Valentine's Home Page
http://www.ups.edu/geology/pmagpage/lab.htmFaculty Research
Valentine has also been examining a series of basalt flows on the Klickitat Indian Reseravtion in southwest Washington. Preliminary results revealed records of transitional fields from one sequence, and more samples from a lower portion of this volcanic sequence will be collected in Spring 1999.
Publications and/or Presentations
Goldstein, Barry S., Trinh, Tram, Trinh, Thuy, Hargrave, Eric, and Demko, Timothy, 1996, Geologic and stratigraphic setting of the Coelophysis quarry, Ghost Ranch, northern New Mexico: A reassessment: Geological Society of America, Rocky Mountain Section, Abstracts with Programs, v. 28, no. 4, p. A9.
Hargrave, E.V., Goldstein, B.S., Trinh, T.A., and T.A. Trinh, T.A.,
1996, Paleomagnetism of the Chinle Formation at Ghost Ranch, New
Mexico: Age Constraints for Coelophysis bauri (abs), Geological
Society of America, Rocky Mountain Section, Abstracts with Programs,
v. 28, no. 5, p. 72.
Hargrave, E.V., Goldstein, B.S., and Valentine, M.J., 1996,
Paleomagnetism of the Chinle Formation at Ghost Ranch , New Mexico:
Age constraints for Coelophysis bauri: (abs): Transactions,
American Geophysical Union, v. 77, p. F164.
Valentine, M.J., and Czarnecki, J. 1997, Paleomagnetism of Basalts From
Ascension Island (abs): Transactions, American Geophysical Union,
v. 78, p. S118.
Normand, A.E., and Valentine, M., 1998, Magnetostratigraphy of the
Crescent Basalts: Olympic Mountains, Washington (abs): Cordilleran
Section, Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v.
30, p. A56.
Nyberg, E., and Valentine, M., 1998, Magnetostratigraphy of the Crescent
Basalts: Olympic Mountains, Washington (abs): Cordilleran Section,
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 30, p.
A57.
Valentine, M.J., 1998, Basalt of Outlet Falls: A Record of the
Matuyama-Brunhes Reversal? (abs): Transactions, American
Geophysical Union, v. 79, p. S62.
PAPERS:
Hargrave, E.V., Goldstein, B. , and Valentine, M.J., accepted for
publication in special paper of the Museum of Northern Arizona,
Paleomagnetism of the Chinle Formation at Ghost Ranch , New Mexico:
Age constraints for Coelophysis bauri
Valentine, M.J., and Czarnecki, J., submitted to Geophysical Research Letters, Transitional magnetic fields recorded in volcanic rocks from Ascension Island
Valentine, M.J., Lowther, J.S., Field, S., Normand, A., and Nyberg, E.,
in prep., Alteration of primary magnetic mineralogy of the Crescent
Basalts, Olympic Peninsula, Washington
For More Information Contact:
Department of
Geology
University
of Puget Sound
1500 N. Warner
Tacoma, Washington 98416
Phone: (253)879-3129
Paleomagnetic Lab:
Thompson 141
Phone: (253)879-2941
Contact: mvalentine@ups.edu
Last Updated: Thursday, July 1, 1999
Copyright © 1999, University of Puget Sound.
All rights reserved.
