Long-period geomagnetic secular variations since 12,000 yr BP

Abstract

A comparison of secular variation records of the geomagnetic field inclination obtained from palaeomagnetic studies of European and North American post-Glacial and late-Glacial sediments suggests that geomagnetic westward drift has persisted through the past 12,000 yr. Between 12,000 and 2,500 yr BP the overall average drift rate was between 0.14 and 0.16 deg yr⁻¹. At ∼2,500 yr BP it is tentatively suggested that the drift rate increased and rose to a maximum of nearly 0.5 deg yr⁻¹ before decreasing to historically observed values of ∼0.25 deg yr⁻¹.