Reductive chemical demagnetization: a new approach to magnetic cleaning and a case study of reef limestones

Abstract

Abstract Chemical demagnetization is not preferred as a demagnetizing method in paleomagnetism because strong acids are cumbersome to handle and require considerable time compared to alternating field and thermal demagnetizations. Particularly, for rocks with carbonate minerals, strong acidic solutions are not applicable. This study presents a new method, termed reductive chemical demagnetization (RCD), using ascorbic acid solution as a reductive etchant. Ascorbic acid is a strong reductive agent and converts Fe3+ ions of secondary magnetic minerals to water-soluble Fe2+ ions, which facilitate chemical demagnetization of carbonate rocks. The carbonate frame can remain intact if the pH of the solution is buffered at approximately 7 with sodium bicarbonate. This etchant is more suitable than strong acid in terms of handling in a paleomagnetic laboratory, particularly in a magnetic field free room. To reduce the required time, a technique of dripping the etchant on the sample was also devised. This helps the fresh etchant flow through the voids between the grains of rocks to rapidly remove dissolved Fe2+ ions. As a case study of RCD, reef limestone samples were examined. The results showed that the dripping experiments with 5% ascorbic acid solution were the most effective. It took 72 h to reach the remaining isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) constant. Thermal demagnetizations of 3-component IRM indicate that RCD removed the high coercivity remanences carried by hematite and goethite. These magnetic minerals were considered to be precipitated between the grains of the rock, and thus they were dissolved by the RCD treatment. A chemical remanent magnetization (CRM), acquired by secondary magnetic minerals, can easily mask the primary remanence for sedimentary rocks of weak magnetization, and the coercivity or unblocking-temperature spectra of the primary remanence and secondary CRM overlap; however, RCD can effectively remove the secondary CRM. RCD prior to alternating field or thermal demagnetization has the potential to improve paleomagnetic demagnetization of sedimentary rocks.

Keywords

• Reductive chemical demagnetization
• Reductive etchant
• Ascorbic acid
• Reef limestone