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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • Mars
  • shock
  • magnetism

Index Terms

  • Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism: Rock and mineral magnetism
  • Mineral Physics: Shock wave experiments
  • Planetary Sciences: Solid Surface Planets: Impact phenomena, cratering
  • Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Mars
  • Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects: Meteorites and tektites

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 34, L05204, 5 PP., 2007
doi:10.1029/2006GL027685

Effect of shock on the magnetic properties of pyrrhotite, the Martian crust, and meteorites

Karin L. Louzada

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Sarah T. Stewart

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Benjamin P. Weiss

Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

We performed planar shock recovery experiments on natural pyrrhotite at pressures up to 6.9 GPa. We find that high-field isothermal remanent magnetization in pyrrhotite is demagnetized up to 90% by shock due to preferential removal of low coercivity components of magnetization. Contrary to static experiments, we do not observe complete demagnetization. Post shock permanent changes in magnetic properties include increasing saturation isothermal remanent magnetization, bulk coercivity and low-temperature memory, and changes in squareness of hysteresis. These changes are consistent with an increase in the volume fraction of single domain grains. The lack of magnetic anomalies over large Martian impact basins is not expected to be solely due to shock demagnetization of the crust. We find that pyrrhotite-bearing rocks and meteorites can retain records of Martian magnetic fields even if shocked to pressures approaching 7 GPa. However, some paleointensity techniques may underestimate this field.

Received 26 July 2006; accepted 24 January 2007; published 14 March 2007.

Citation: Louzada, K. L., S. T. Stewart, and B. P. Weiss (2007), Effect of shock on the magnetic properties of pyrrhotite, the Martian crust, and meteorites, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L05204, doi:10.1029/2006GL027685.

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