RUI: Determination of Absolute Paleointensity Using a Multi-Specimen Procedure

这项工作涉及一种确定绝对古磁强度的新方法。主要地，该方法偏离经典的Thellier方法，因为每次测定不是使用一个，而是使用几个子样本。每个样品只加热两次，达到单独指定的温度。因此，该方法相对于Thellier的主要优点是，由于连续加热而导致的渐进物理化学变化被控制在最低限度。事实上，一项利用新方法的初步研究表明，当Thellier方法可能失败时，它可以提供可靠的结果。与以往本科院校（RUI）资助的研究一样，该项目将由几个本科物理专业的学生协助。过去的经验表明，大多数在加州理工学院协助古地磁项目的学生成功地在地球物理或物理学研究生院继续他们的学术生涯。

The work involves a new approach for the determination of absolute magnetic paleointensity. Principally, the method deviates from that of the classical Thellier approach in that not one, but several sub-samples are utilized per determination. Each specimen is heated only twice to an individually-assigned temperature. Thus, the primary advantage of the method over the Thellier is that progressive physicochemical alteration due to serial heatings is held to a minimum. Indeed, an initial study utilizing the new method suggests that it can furnish reliable results when the Thellier approach may fail. As has been the case with past research in Undergraduate Institution (RUI) grants, the project will be assisted by several undergraduate physics majors. Past experience has shown that the majority of students which have assisted in paleomagnetic projects at Cal Poly successfully continue their academic careers at graduate institutions in geophysics or physics.