Thesis (doctoral)--Freie Universität Berlin, 2003. / "Dezember 2003"--P. [2] of cover. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 122-135). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Macquarie University, Division of Environmental & Life Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-224).

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1995. / Bibliography: leaves 189-196. Also available online.

Cette étude s’intéresse en premier lieu aux caractéristiques magnétiques d’échantillons de BIFs (Banded Iron Formations) en provenance de Mauritanie, où est observable la plus grande partie de l’Anomalie Magnétique Ouest Africaine (AMOA). On met en évidence des valeurs de susceptibilité magnétique allant jusqu’à 3.4 SI, et d’aimantation rémanente jusqu’à 1350 A/m, dans les BIFs. Des valeurs de rapport de Koenigsberger pour la plupart supérieures à 1 impliquent également que la rémanence devrait être prise en compte pour expliquer l’AMOA. L’effet de la pression sur les propriétés magnétiques de la titanomagnétite a également été étudié, car ce paramètre est peu connu, et la plupart du temps négligé dans les modèles numériques des sources des anomalies magnétiques. On montre ainsi une dépendance à la pression de la température de Curie de l’hématite et de la titanomagnétite, ainsi qu’une augmentation de l’Aimantation Thermo Rémanente (ATR) acquise à des pressions lithosphériques, allant jusqu’à +100% à 675 MPa. Un modèle numérique de la croûte sous l’AMOA est ensuite construit, à l’aide de ces contraintes et de données magnétiques et gravimétriques. On utilise une approche directe pour investiguer la profondeur, l’épaisseur et l’intensité d’aimantation des lithologies crustales. Nos résultats montrent que des couches de BIFs sont les seules sources crustales aimantées nécessaires pour expliquer l’anomalie, et qu’elles pourraient être enfouies à plusieurs kilomètres de profondeur. Les résultats de cette étude fournissent de nouvelles perpectives pour l’étude des sources d’anomalies magnétiques dans d’autres régions cratoniques comportant des affleurements de BIFs / The geological sources of major magnetic field anomalies are still poorly constrained, in terms of nature, geometry and vertical position. A common feature of several anomalies is their spatial correlation with cratonic shields and, for the largest anomalies, with Banded Iron Formations (BIF). This study first unveils the magnetic properties of some BIF samples from Mauritania, where the main part of the West African magnetic anomaly is observed. It shows magnetic susceptibility values up to 3.4 SI and natural remanent magnetization up to 1350 A/m can be reached by BIF rocks. Koenigsberger ratios mostly superior to 1 imply that the remanent magnetization should be taken into account to explain the anomaly. I also investigated the impact of pressure on magnetic properties of titanomagnetite, because it is not well known and most of the time neglected in numerical models of the geological sources of magnetic anomalies. My results show a pressure-dependent Curie temperature increase, as well as an intensity increase for TRM acquired under lithospheric pressure (up to +100% at 675 MPa). A numerical modeling of the crust beneath the West African anomaly is then performed using these constraints and both gravity and magnetic field data. A forward approach is used, investigating the depth, thickness and magnetization intensity of all possible crustal lithologies. Our results show that BIF slices may be the only magnetized lithology needed to explain the anomaly, and that they could be buried several kilometers deep. The results of this study provide a new perspective to address the investigation of magnetic field anomaly sources in other cratonic regions with BIF outcrops

Thesis. 1976. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Science. / Vita. / Includes bibliographies. / Ph.D.

An interpretation of gravity and magnetic anomalies of the Butte district, Montana, is based on the analysis of five gravity profiles constructed from Bouguer gravity data of the Butte district observed during the summer of 1974 and give concurrent magnetic profiles constructed from U.S. Geological Survey high-level aeromagnetic data of the district. Of primary concern in this analysis is the interpretation of the Bouguer gravity high and aeromagnetic low associated with the Butte orebody. Results of this interpretation yield a configuration for the Butte orebody characterized by vertical contacts extending from the surface or directly beneath Cenozoic basin fill to 4,500 feet below sea level, with a central core, elongate in the north -south direction, surrounded by a variable outer zone, which is more pronounced in the southern and western portions of the district. The central core is interpreted as a region of zero magnetic susceptibility with three density distributions, all of which are of higher densities than the surrounding host rock and are related to the varying degrees of mineralization and alteration present in this region. The laterally variable outer zone is interpreted as a zone of low magnetic susceptibility with a density equal to that of the host rock. This zone is related to the peripheral mineralization and alteration of the Butte orebody.

The lunar space environment is shaped by the interaction between the Moon and the solar wind. In the present thesis, we investigate two aspects of this interaction, namely the interaction between solar wind protons and lunar crustal magnetic anomalies, and the interaction between solar wind protons and lunar regolith. We use particle sensors that were carried onboard the Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter to analyze solar wind protons that reflect from the Moon, including protons that capture an electron from the lunar regolith and reflect as energetic neutral atoms of hydrogen. We also employ computer simulations and use a hybrid plasma solver to expand on the results from the satellite measurements. The observations from Chandrayaan-1 reveal that the reflection of solar wind protons from magnetic anomalies is a common phenomenon on the Moon, occurring even at relatively small anomalies that have a lateral extent of less than 100 km. At the largest magnetic anomaly cluster (with a diameter of 1000 km), an average of ~10% of the incoming solar wind protons are reflected to space. Our computer simulations show that these reflected proton streams significantly modify the global lunar plasma environment. The reflected protons can enter the lunar wake and impact the lunar nightside surface. They can also reach far upstream of the Moon and disturb the solar wind flow. In the local environment at a 200 km-scale magnetic anomaly, our simulations show a heated and deflected plasma flow and the formation of regions with reduced or increased proton precipitation. We also observe solar wind protons reflected from the lunar regolith. These proton fluxes are generally lower than those from the magnetic anomalies. We find that the proton reflection efficiency from the regolith varies between ~0.01% and ~1%, in correlation with changes in the solar wind speed. We link this to a velocity dependent charge-exchange process occurring when the particles leave the lunar regolith. Further, we investigate how the properties of the reflected neutral hydrogen atoms depend on the solar wind temperature. We develop a model to describe this dependence, and use this model to study the plasma precipitation on the Moon when it is in the terrestrial magnetosheath. We then use the results from these and other studies, to model solar wind reflection from the surface of the planet Mercury. / Rymdmiljön runt månen formas av den växelverkan som sker mellan månen och solvinden. I den föreliggande avhandlingen undersöker vi två aspekter av denna växerverkan, nämligen växelverkan mellan solvindsprotoner och magnetiserade områden i månskorpan, och växelverkan mellan solvindsprotoner och månens ytdamm. Vi använder oss av partikelsensorer på månsatelliten Chandrayaan-1 för att analysera solvindsprotoner som reflekteras från månen, även de protoner som fångar upp en elektron från ytan och reflekteras som neutrala väteatomer. Vi använder oss också av datorsimuleringar för att bygga vidare på de uppmätta resultaten. Observationerna från Chandrayaan-1 visar att reflektion av solvindsprotoner från magnetiserade områden är ett vanligt förekommande fenomen på månen, som inträffar även vid magnetiseringar som är utbredda över mindre än 100 km. Vid det största magnetiserade området på månen (1000 km i diameter), reflekteras i genomsnitt ~10% av de infallande solvindsprotonerna. Våra datorsimuleringar visar att dessa protonflöden har globala effekter på månens plasmamiljö. De reflekterade protonerna kan nå månens nattsida. De kan också nå långt uppströms om månen och störa solvindsflödet. I den lokala plasmamiljön vid ett magnetiserat område av storleken 200 km visar våra simuleringar ett förändrat solvindsflöde, där det skapas områden som delvis skyddas från solvinden, likväl som områden som utsätts för mer solvind. Vi observerar även solvindsprotoner som reflekterats från ytdammet på månen. Dessa protonflöden är lägre än de från de magnetiska fälten. Reflektionen från ytan varierar mellan ~0.01% och 1% av solvindsflödet, i samband med förändringar i solvindshastigheten. Vi förklarar detta med att partiklarnas laddning bestäms av den hastighet de har när de lämnar måndammet. Vidare undersöker vi hur egenskaperna hos de reflekterade neutrala väteatomerna beror på solvindstemperaturen. Vi skapar en modell för att beskriva sambandet och använder sedan denna modell för att studera hur solvinden faller in mot månens yta när den befinner sig i jordens magnetoskikt, där jordens magnetfält orsakar en upphettning av solvindsflödet. Resultaten från dessa och andra studier använder vi sedan för att modellera solvindsreflektion från planeten Merkurius yta, för jämförelse med framtida observationer.

published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Master / Master of Philosophy

Using gravity, magnetic, bathymetric and seismic refraction data, I have constructed a geophysical cross-section of the central part of the northern Gulf of California. The section exhibits a crustal thickness of 18 km and features an anomalous block of high density lower basement (3.15 g/cm³) which probably resulted from rifting processes during the opening of the Gulf. The magnetization of the upper basement ranges from 0.0005 to 0.0030 emu/cm³. Three different layers of sediments are modeled, ranging from unconsolidated (1.85 g/cm³) to compacted (2.50 g/cm³). I present a deconvolution method for automated interpretation of magnetic profiles based on Werner's (1953) simplified thin-dike assumption, leading to the linearization of complex nonlinear magnetic problems. The method is expanded by the fact that the horizontal gradient of the total field caused by the edge of a thick interface body is equivalent to the total field of a thin dike. Statistical decision making and a seven point operator are used to insure good approximations of susceptibility, dip, depth, and horizontal location of the source. After using synthetic models to test the inversion method, I applied it to the Northern Gulf of California using data collected in 1984 by the Continental Margins Study Group at Oregon State University. Fault traces, computed by the deconvolution, are plotted on a map. The faulting pattern obtained is in good agreement with that proposed by other workers using other methods. The depths to the top of the faults range from 4 to 5 km in the eastern part of the Gulf, where they may be interpreted as the top of the structural basement. Deeper estimates are obtained for the western part of the Gulf. / Graduation date: 1990

My dissertation research consists of two themes: (a) the analysis of Middle Jurassic - Early Cretaceous marine magnetic anomalies (M-anomalies) in order to construct a comprehensive geomagnetic polarity timescale and (b) the investigation of the upper oceanic crustal architecture using downhole geophysical logs. These themes were chosen to better understand how remotely-sensed geophysical signals elucidate the formation and evolution of oceanic crust. This revised Pacific-wide MGPTS model shows significant improvement in its reliability, exhibits global applicability, and highlights changes in the paleo-Pacific spreading regime. By integrating Atlantic Manomaly analyses with the new MGPTS model and reviewing previous seismic studies, we shed new light on the causes of a ubiquitously distributed ?Atlantic anomaly smooth zone? where little coherency among M5-M15 anomaly sequence is observed. For the second theme, I analyzed the architecture of 15 m.y. old superfast spreading East Pacific Rise crust drilled at Ocean Drilling Program Hole 1256D in the eastern Pacific. An intact upper oceanic crustal section was penetrated at this site to a depth of 1507 mbsf. In situ crustal architecture was mapped from resistivity imagery (electrofacies by Formation MicroScanner) combined with recovered cores and other logs. Highlights of this research are: (1) most of the extrusive section consists of massive flows and fragmented formations including breccias, which has important implications for the magnetic source layer and pathways of hydrothermal alteration; (2) the dike complex is composed of sheeted-dikes dipping away from the paleo-spreading axis consistent with submersible observations at other sites in the eastern Pacific; (3) the crustal construction processess from ridge axis to abyssal plain during 0-50 kyr time are consistent with previous seismic reflection studies based on the integration of our stratigraphy model with lava flow observations from the southern East Pacific Rise.