Paleomagnetic constraint of the age and duration of the Taupo Eruption, New Zealand

We have carried out paleomagnetic analyses of tephras from the Taupo eruption, one of the most violent eruptions on Earth in the past 5000 years. Pyroclastic deposits were collected with 7 cm(3) cubes pushed into each unit of the Taupo eruption sequence, consisting of airfall units and overlying ignimbrite. Where possible, we targeted fine-ash layers and matrix, as lapilli sized material can significantly affect the quality of the analysis. The samples were oriented using a collection device specially designed to maximize accuracy. All samples were subjected to alternating field demagnetization, while samples from Taupo ignimbrite (Y7)& mdash;the only unit deposited hot were also subjected to thermal demagnetization. The characteristic remanent magnetizations (ChRMs) for specimens from unit Y1, the lower and upper parts of unit Y4, and unit Y7 are well determined (alpha(95) < 3.3 degrees). The declinations and inclinations of site-mean ChRMs range from 3.0 degrees to 7.1 degrees and - 53.4 degrees to - 56.2 degrees, respectively, in close agreement with published results from lithic fragments of the Taupo ignimbrite (Y7). The mean ChRM of unit Y3 does not fit within 95% confidence limits of the ChRM of other units. We presume this is a consequence of unit Y3 samples containing relatively coarse grains and of probable secondary process of the deposit. This outlier aside, our results show consistency between thermoremanent magnetizations of ignimbrite and detrital remanences of co-eval ashfalls, thus validating our method for further tephra research. Both geological observations and paleomagnetic estimation using angular difference suggest that the duration of the Taupo eruption sequence was less than a few tens of years. Furthermore, matching the overall mean ChRM direction (Dec = 4.3 degrees, Inc = -55.3 degrees, alpha(95) = 1.3 degrees, N = 38 specimens) to the New Zealand paleosecular variation record using the MATLAB dating tool, most likely supports a younger age (ca. 310 CE) than the reported wiggle match eruption age of 232 +/- 10 CE.

Automated summary

Paleomagnetic analyses of the Taupo eruption's tephra indicate its intensity, with agreement between the thermoremanent magnetizations and detrital remanences validating our research method. The duration of the eruption was estimated to be less than a few tens of years. The overall mean ChRM direction suggests a younger age for the eruption compared to previous dating.