EXPERIMENTAL STRAIN OF ISOTHERMAL REMANENT MAGNETIZATION IN DUCTILE SANDSTONE

A macroscopically ductile sandstone, to which a homogeneous isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) was applied, has been deformed at 150 MPa confining pressure and constant strain rate of 10-5 s-1. Hydrostatic compaction does not produce a deflection of the IRM vector although it is reduced in intensity. Pure shear producing shortening in the range 2 to 35% steadily reduces the intensity of magnetization but also homogeneously rotates the remanence vector toward the plane of flattening. The amount of rotation is slightly less than that expected for a non-material line undergoing homogeneous strain. Deformation selectively removes weakly coercive components of remanence, as revealed by alternating field (AF) demagnetization. During deformation a weak deformational viscous remanent magnetization (DVRM) is acquired from the pressure vessel. This is different from a conventional viscous remanent magnetization (VRM) in that it is not acquired when the specimen is subject to hydrostatic confining pressure alone, even for periods three times longer than the longest deformation test.