Systematics of Paleomagnetic Directions from Early–Middle Devonian Rocks of Minusa Troughs: New Data and Old Problems

Abstract

Paleomagnetic results from numerous Early–Middle Devonian volcanic sequences of the Minusa trough, southern Siberia, are presented. The analysis of these data definitely indicates that the geomagnetic field in the Devonian had a specific character, different from both the present field and the field of more ancient geological epochs, and was extremely variable (hyperactive). The anomalies in the paleomagnetic record of the Early–Middle Devonian are not local, peculiar to a particular region, but have a global occurrence. The synthesis of the obtained results with the paleomagnetic data from the coeval volcanics from Scotland shows that during a relatively short time (10–20 Ma), the geomagnetic pole repeatedly changed its location, significantly deviating from the Earth’s rotation axis up to the (paleo)equator and assuming some quasi-stable positions. The arguments suggesting that the specific features of the Devonian paleomagnetic record could probably be induced by the significant contribution of the equatorial dipole to the main geomagnetic field are presented.