PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF THE OLDUVAI TERMINATION RECORDED IN THE RED LOAMIN SOUTHEAST SHANXI PROVINCE, CHINA

The Olduvai termination record recovered from remanent magnetization o f the Red Loam has demonstrated the possibility of recording and prese rving the geomagnetic polarity transition in eolian deposits and displ ayed some characteristics different from those of the Olduvai terminat ion records available. The paleofield direction undergoes three phases of change during the polarity transition. In the first phase, only th e declination changes. resulting in the VGP's moving along a meridiona l band, bounded by 30-degrees-E-150-degrees-W and 50-degrees-E-130-deg rees-W, in high northern latitudes. The following phase is characteriz ed by swift change in both declination and inclination. The VGPs move to the far hemisphere, migrate southerly, and come back to the near he misphere at moderate southern latitude. A smooth approaching to the ex pected reverse polarity-like direction constitutes the third phase. Th e estimated durations of these three phases are 8900, 5300, and 6600 y ears, respectively. The VGP path is longitudinally confined and strong ly near- and west-sided.