New paleomagnetic data for Ochotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt

The Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt (OChVB),  located in the north-eastern part of Russia, is a unique volcanic structure, which has been formed over a wide time interval from Aptian (K1) to Cenomanian (K2) [Tihomirov, 2018]. Age of its formation nearly coincides with the occurrence of the Cretaceous geomagnetic superchron of normal polarity. Thus, the volcanic formations of the OChVB represent a promising object to study the characteristics of the geomagnetic field during the Cretaceous superchron (direction, paleointensity, secular variations) needed to test various models explaining superchrons’s existence .

During the reconnaissance field work of the summer 2019 we have sampled volcanic rocks in 9 sections each includes from 8 to 30 sites corresponding either to lava flow or to tuff layers.

Up to date we have carried out AF demagnetization, petromagnetic and AMS studies. Demagnetisations studies demonstrate that the rocks contain paleomagnetic record of the ancient (primary?) magnetization of good to excellent quality. Petromagnetic experiments indicate that the main magnetic mineral in majority of studied volcanics is titanomagnetite with pseudo-single domain grain size. We use the magnetic fabric derived from AMS studies to test either the modern attitude (slight dipping up to 10-15˚) of studied rocks is due to primary paleorelief or the rocks have experienced some tectonic deformations.