Archeomagnetic secular variation from Korea: Implication for the occurrence of global archeomagnetic jerks

Abstract

An archeomagnetic paleosecular variation (PSV) was first defined in Korea using baked materials collected from 26 kilns or hearths with ages ranging from similar to 1100 BC to AD 1790. Variations of geomagnetic declination and inclination from the Korean peninsula are distinctively different from the prediction of a global model (CALS3k.3 or CALS7K.2) for the past 3500 yr. In particular, a distinctive offset in magnitude and phase is noticeable between the observations and predictions at similar to 745 BC, similar to AD 300, and similar to AD 1400-1700. A hi-plot of magnetic declination versus inclination displays three cusps at the corresponding time intervals. These time intervals are nearly identical to or at least overlap with three of the four potential archeomagnetic jerks suggested by Gallet et al. (2003) from the European archeomagnetic data. A comparison of the PSV curves for neighboring countries/regions revealed that European archeomagnetic jerks at similar to 800 BC, similar to AD 200, similar to AD 800, and similar to AD 1400 were all preserved in East Asia, suggesting that the archeomagnetic jerks were global (or at least northern hemispheric) features. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.