Paleolatitude




                                            Steps In Obtaining the Paleolatitude From Rock Core Samples
  

                1) Find a large bed of igneous or Sedimentary rock that is consistent in age throughout.

                2) Drill out several core samples. Make sure to note which is the current true north pole and current magnetic                                     north pole.

                3) Measure and document the cores magnetization direction.

                4) Obtain the declination angle by measuring the angle between the current true north and current magnetic north pole.

                5) Obtain the inclination angle by measuring the angle between the current magnetic north pole and the magnetization                         angle.

                6) Average all the measured declination angles to obtain an average declination for the body of rock.If measured                                 correctly, the declination angle should be equal to where ever on the current world map the location of the body of                         rock currently rests.

                7) Average all the measured inclination angles to obtain an average inclination angle for the body of rock. Add                                     or subtract this angle to the measured declination angle to obtain the angle from which the rock body was formed      The picture above demonstrates how Paleomagnetism is                               in relation to the true north pole. Using the relationship, as explained below, between the inclination angle and
determined from an igneous rock core sample (Glen 84).                              latitude, the paleolatitude can be determined.                                                                                                                                                                                                         





The Relationship Between Inclination Angle and Latitude

  
    Once the inclination of a rock core sample has been determined, scientists are able to easily figure out where that specific body of igneous rock cooled in regards to the latitude of the Earth. The figure to the right illustrates the relationship between the inclination angle and the latitude at which the rock was formed. The paleomagnetic information only allows scientists to determine the latitude and not the longitude, meaning that the body of rock could have formed anywhere longitudinally on the Earth at the determined latitude (Glen 85). It doesn't matter where at longitudinally the body of rock was formed, it only matters latitude-wise where it was formed because the temperature of the environment will be the same no matter where longitudinally it was located. The measurements of the paleolatitude aided in the support of Plate Tectonics, in that the plates that make up the surface of the Earth are constantly moving around the Earth (Glen 85).





                                                                                                                                                                                                                  The picture above demonstrates the relationship between the                                                                                                                                                                                                                    inclination angle and latitude (Glen 82).



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