Demagnetization Energy and Internal Stress in Magnetite From Temperature-Dependent Hysteresis Measurements

The magnetization state of magnetite controls acquisition and stability of remanent magnetization in Earth and planetary rocks. Although commonly interpreted in terms of grain size, also stress, grain shape, and magnetostatic interactions can substantially modify magnetic stability. Here, we show that scaled reversible work (SRW) in the approach-to-saturation (ATS) of hysteresis curves is temperature independent if anisotropy is due to demagnetizing energy. Stress anisotropy vanishes with increasing temperature. With a new measurement and evaluation procedure stress-induced anisotropy is separated from demagnetization effects. We calibrated the new method using theoretical ATS curves for different stress and demagnetization regimes. Experimental results for synthetic magnetite samples underpin the validity of the method and provide insight into the relationship between magnetostatic, magnetocrystalline, and stress energies. The SRW method provides a new tool to study the reliability of paleomagnetic recording mechanisms, and enables quantitative investigation of stresses due to tectonics, meteorite impacts, oxidation, exsolution, or quenching.

Automated summary

The study reveals that stress anisotropy vanishes with increasing temperature in magnetite, and a new measurement and evaluation method can effectively separate stress-induced anisotropy and demagnetization effects, providing a new approach to studying the reliability of remanent magnetization in rocks.