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Geomagnetic polarity epochs: age and duration of the olduvai normal polarity event

Earth and Planetary Science Letters
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.1016/0012-821X(71)90004-5

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Abstract

New data show that the Olduvai normal geomagnetic polarity event is represented in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, by rocks covering a time span of roughly from 0.1 to 0.2 my and is no older than 2.0 my. Hence the long normal polarity event of this age that is seen in deep-sea sediment cores and in magnetic profiles over oceanic ridges should be called the Olduvai event. The lava from which the Gilsàevent was defined may have been erupted during the Olduvai event and, if so, the term Gilsàshould now be abandoned. Many dated lavas that were originally assigned to the Olduvai event represent one or two much shorter normal polarity events that preceded the Olduvai event; these are herein named the Réunion normal polarity events. This revision brings the geomagnetic reversal time scale into conformity with the one implied by assumptions of uniform sedimentation rates on the ocean floor and uniform rates of sea-floor spreading.

    Publication type Article
    Publication Subtype Journal Article
    Title Geomagnetic polarity epochs: age and duration of the olduvai normal polarity event
    Series title Earth and Planetary Science Letters
    DOI 10.1016/0012-821X(71)90004-5
    Volume 10
    Issue 2
    Year Published 1971
    Language English
    Publisher Elsevier
    Description 7 p.
    First page 179
    Last page 185
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