1967/05/15 by Allan Cox, G. Brent Dalrymple · 413 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Chemistry · Mathematics · #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research #Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods #Earth's magnetic field #Geology #K–Ar dating #Potassium #Statistical analysis #Geophysics #Geodesy #Statistics #Physics #Geochemistry #Chemistry #Mathematics #Magnetic field
paper · doi:10.1029/jz072i010p02603
published in Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 72(10), 2603-2614 (American Geophysical Union)
openalex publication_date 1967/05/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
A new statistical method has been developed for analyzing the magnetic polarity of rocks as a function of their potassium-argon ages for the purpose of determining the ages of the boundaries between geomagnetic polarity epochs. The analysis also yields an estimate of the precision of the potassium-argon dating. A value of 3.6% is found by this analysis for the dating precision of rocks about 2.5 m.y. old, which is in agreement with an independent estimate of the precision of the dating obtained from an analysis of analytical errors. The following are the best statistical estimates of the ages of the boundaries between geomagnetic polarity epochs: Gilbert-Gauss boundary, 3.36 m.y.; Gauss-Matuyama boundary, 2.5 m.y.; Matuyama-Brunhes boundary, 0.70 m.y. The duration of polarity events is estimated to vary from 0.07 to 0.16 m.y., and the best estimate of the time required for the earth's field to undergo a complete change in polarity is 4600 years.