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Department of Earth Science

Earthlab Magnetic

The laboratory facilities in EARTHLAB magnetic continue the branch of environmental magnetism from the former Paleomagnetic Laboratory of the GEO department at the UiB. This laboratory was established by the late Prof. Reidar Løvlie in the 1960´s and subsequently developed and expanded to address multi-disciplinary research questions related to the study of magnetism. Environmental magnetism integrates rock magnetism and magnetic mineralogy to study environmental change typically associated with past climate variability, paleoceanography and provenance studies. The infrastructure at EARTHLAB magnetic includes a range of instruments for core, sample, and field measurements of Magnetic Susceptibility, rock magnetometers and instruments for acquiring the most common mineral magnetic parameters.

Main content

CoreSusc MkIII

The Coresusc MkIII is in-house built core scanner for Magnetic Susceptibility measurements on up to 3m long split- and whole sediment cores. Mounted sensors include the Bartington MS2C (70 and 125mm), MS2F and MS2E, sampling at 2-20 mm intervals.

Agico MFK1-FA Kappa Bridge

A multi-functional Kappa Bridge system, used for measuring anisotropy of (bulk) Magnetic Susceptibility (MS) in weak variable magnetic fields (field range from 2 A/m to 700 A/m, peak values). In addition the basic frequency of 976 Hz, the MFK1-FA can also measure frequencies of 3904 Hz and 15616 Hz. MFK1-FA measures AMS of spinning specimens along three successive positions. The MFK1-FA system allows for mineral identification through Curie-point determinations, as well as rock fabric characterization through measurement of the anisotropy of low-field MS.

Geofyzica Brno KLY-2 Kappa Bridge

The KLY-2 system measures Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) as well as bulk susceptibility (MS) on discrete samples (40mm3) at a sensitivity of 4×10-8 SI and a field intensity range of 300 A/m and 720 Hz.  The KLY-2 system allows for mineral identification through Curie-point determinations, as well as rock fabric characterization through measurement of the anisotropy of low-field MS.

Kazan University J-Meter coercivity spectrometer

The J-Meter coercivity spectrometer measures the magnetic hysteresis loop, IRM acquisition spectrum and viscosity spectrum of geological samples. It has a magnetic field of up to 500mT and measures sample sizes of 8x10x24mm (c. 1.5-2.0g).

All preparations for EARTHLAB magnetic are performed in the EARTHLAB sediment laboratory.