GEOMAGNETIC-POLES OVER THE PAST 10,000 YEARS

Locations of the geomagnetic pole over the past 10,000 years have been calculated by averaging the VGP positions obtained from paleomagnetic data. The distribution of the geomagnetic pole was elongated to the direction parallel to the meridian of 45-degrees and 225-degrees longitude, and westward movement of the pole was predominant throughout this period. The time sequence of the polar motion can be divided into three intervals, the intervals between ca. 10,000 B.P. and ca. 7000 B.P., between ca. 7000 B.P. and ca. 3700 B.P., and between ca. 3700 B.P. and the present. During the period between ca. 7000 and ca. 3700 B.P., the range of the movement of the geomagnetic pole was limited within 5 degrees around the geographical pole. Before and after this period, the movement was very active, fluctuating over 10 degrees. The results of the last 2000 years show good consistency with the geomagnetic pole calculated from archaeomagnetic data by Merrill and McElhinny [1983].