Paleomagnetism of early paleozoic geological complexes of Mongolia

Abstract

Most of the studied Early Phanerozoic rocks of West Mongolia have undergone repeated remagnetization. Secondary magnetization components with normal and reversed polarity are isolated. The magnetization components with normal polarity are associated with the Mesozoic remagnetization of the rocks. The components with reversed polarity were probably formed during the Carboniferous–Permian superchron of reversed polarity. The analysis of the distribution of the reversed-polarity magnetization component in the structure of Mongolia permits some zonation. Within Mongolia, the regions with insignificant post- Permian deformations and complicated post-Permian deformations are identified; also the area of rotations of large geological blocks about the horizontal axis (Khan-Khukhei Ridge) is distinguished. It is hypothesized that in the Ordovician rocks of West Mongolia, the magnetization component that is close to primary was identified. If this is the case, the paleolatitude calculated from this magnetization direction corresponds to the interval 14°–17°–20° (minimal–mean–maximal) of probably northern latitude