SAW-TOOTHED PATTERN OF SEDIMENTARY PALEOINTENSITY RECORDS EXPLAINED BY CUMULATIVE VISCOUS REMANENCE

The relative paleointensity of the earth's magnetic field from ODP Sit e 851 has been characterized by progressive decay towards polarity rev ersals, followed by sharp recovery of pre-reversal values [1]. We resa mpled the Gilbert-Gaup reversal boundary of this deep-sea core, and sh ow that during demagnetization this 'saw-toothed' pattern disappears. Further, the recently published Cumulative Viscous Remanence model [2] using the herewith obtained paleointensity record and constraints fro m thermal treatment replicates the saw-tooth of [1], implying that it is of non-geomagnetic origin.