Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China

Objective Red beds are widely used in palaeomagnetic studies as they can carry stable natural remanence. Most previous studies on red beds have mainly focused on lacustrine-fluvial facies, with limited targeting the aeolian red beds. Consequently, the influence of aeolian deposition processes and se...

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Main Authors: Dengkui Jin, Yongxiang Li
Format: Article
Language:zho
Published: Editorial Department of Bulletin of Geological Science and Technology 2023-11-01
Series:地质科技通报
Subjects:
Online Access:https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.tb20220161
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author Dengkui Jin
Yongxiang Li
author_facet Dengkui Jin
Yongxiang Li
author_sort Dengkui Jin
collection DOAJ
description Objective Red beds are widely used in palaeomagnetic studies as they can carry stable natural remanence. Most previous studies on red beds have mainly focused on lacustrine-fluvial facies, with limited targeting the aeolian red beds. Consequently, the influence of aeolian deposition processes and sedimentary environments on remanence records remains poorly understood. Methods In this study, we conducted a palaeomagnetic investigation of the red beds from the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China, to compare the stability and reliability of remanence in aeolian and lacustrine-fluvial red beds. Results Rock magnetic results indicate that magnetite, maghemite and hematite are the dominant magnetic remanence carriers. Specimens were subjected to stepwise thermal demagnetization, and only 1/6 of the specimens yielded characteristic remanent magnetisations (ChRMs). Although the mean directions of ChRM in both aeolian(Ds=222.7°, Is=-43.3°, κ=5.9, α95=20.6°, n=11) and lacustrine-fluvial (Ds=204.6°, Is=-47.8°, κ=2.4, α95=23.1°, n=28) samples are statistically indistinguishable, the distribution of individual ChRM directions is scattered, as evidenced by the large α95 values. Thin section observation reveals that the aeolian samples are predominantly composed of fine grains, with some coarser grains and almost no interstitial fillings compared with the lacustrine-fluvial red beds. This makes them susceptible to physical disturbance and subsequent chemical alteration, which compromises the stability of their remanence records. Analysis of palaeomagnetic data of specimens from different positions of an aeolian foreset bed reveals that the reliability of remanence is significantly influenced by aeolian depositional processes in case the angle between the foreset bed and the bedding plane is larger than 20°. Statistical analysis of palaeomagnetic data previously published from the Cretaceous red beds in South China and these in this study suggests that the remanence records in the Cretaceous aeolian red beds in South China tend to be less stable and less reliable, compared with that of the coeval lacustrine-fluvial red beds. It is probably because of their loose structure and low hematite content, which hinders the acquisition of primary remanence and makes them susceptible to diagenetic alteration. Conclusion These findings provide valuable insights for studying the stability and reliability of remanence in aeolian red beds and their application in palaeomagnetic study.
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spelling doaj.art-a5134d42b6184d0f9fa70547de3dee5a2024-03-05T02:38:32ZzhoEditorial Department of Bulletin of Geological Science and Technology地质科技通报2096-85232023-11-0142629730910.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.tb20220161dzkjtb-42-6-297Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, ChinaDengkui Jin0Yongxiang Li1School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, ChinaSchool of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, ChinaObjective Red beds are widely used in palaeomagnetic studies as they can carry stable natural remanence. Most previous studies on red beds have mainly focused on lacustrine-fluvial facies, with limited targeting the aeolian red beds. Consequently, the influence of aeolian deposition processes and sedimentary environments on remanence records remains poorly understood. Methods In this study, we conducted a palaeomagnetic investigation of the red beds from the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China, to compare the stability and reliability of remanence in aeolian and lacustrine-fluvial red beds. Results Rock magnetic results indicate that magnetite, maghemite and hematite are the dominant magnetic remanence carriers. Specimens were subjected to stepwise thermal demagnetization, and only 1/6 of the specimens yielded characteristic remanent magnetisations (ChRMs). Although the mean directions of ChRM in both aeolian(Ds=222.7°, Is=-43.3°, κ=5.9, α95=20.6°, n=11) and lacustrine-fluvial (Ds=204.6°, Is=-47.8°, κ=2.4, α95=23.1°, n=28) samples are statistically indistinguishable, the distribution of individual ChRM directions is scattered, as evidenced by the large α95 values. Thin section observation reveals that the aeolian samples are predominantly composed of fine grains, with some coarser grains and almost no interstitial fillings compared with the lacustrine-fluvial red beds. This makes them susceptible to physical disturbance and subsequent chemical alteration, which compromises the stability of their remanence records. Analysis of palaeomagnetic data of specimens from different positions of an aeolian foreset bed reveals that the reliability of remanence is significantly influenced by aeolian depositional processes in case the angle between the foreset bed and the bedding plane is larger than 20°. Statistical analysis of palaeomagnetic data previously published from the Cretaceous red beds in South China and these in this study suggests that the remanence records in the Cretaceous aeolian red beds in South China tend to be less stable and less reliable, compared with that of the coeval lacustrine-fluvial red beds. It is probably because of their loose structure and low hematite content, which hinders the acquisition of primary remanence and makes them susceptible to diagenetic alteration. Conclusion These findings provide valuable insights for studying the stability and reliability of remanence in aeolian red beds and their application in palaeomagnetic study.https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.tb20220161paleomagnetismred bedsdaijiaping formationupper cretaceouschaling basinhunan
spellingShingle Dengkui Jin
Yongxiang Li
Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
地质科技通报
paleomagnetism
red beds
daijiaping formation
upper cretaceous
chaling basin
hunan
title Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
title_full Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
title_fullStr Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
title_full_unstemmed Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
title_short Paleomagnetism of the Upper Cretaceous Daijiaping Formation red beds in the Chaling Basin, Hunan Province, China
title_sort paleomagnetism of the upper cretaceous daijiaping formation red beds in the chaling basin hunan province china
topic paleomagnetism
red beds
daijiaping formation
upper cretaceous
chaling basin
hunan
url https://dzkjqb.cug.edu.cn/en/article/doi/10.19509/j.cnki.dzkq.tb20220161
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AT yongxiangli paleomagnetismoftheuppercretaceousdaijiapingformationredbedsinthechalingbasinhunanprovincechina