Paleomagnetism of Mongolia

Abstract

Most Lower Phanerozoic rocks of western Mongolia investigated were repeatedly remagnetized. They demonstrate a secondary magnetization component of normal and reversed polarity. The normal polarity components are related to Mesozoic rock remagnetization. The reversed polarity components were probably formed during the Carboniferous‒Permian Superchron of reversed polarity. The analysis of the distribution of the reversed polarity component in the geological structure of Mongolia allows some zoning to be outlined with the defining regions of Mongolia characterized by insignificant rock defamations with intricate post-Permian dislocations and a region marked by rotation of large blocks around the horizontal axis (Khan Khukhei Range). It is assumed that Ordovician rock of western Mongolia contains a magnetization component close to the primary one. If the assumption is valid, the presumably northern paleolatitude derived from this direction corresponds to the interval of 14°‒17°‒20° (minimum‒average‒maximum, respectively).