Paleomagnetism and 40ar/39ar Geochronology of the Plio-Pleistocene Boring Volcanic Field: Implications for the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale

Abstract:

The Boring volcanic field (BVF) in western Oregon and Washington has been the subject of a recently completed investigation that included detailed geologic mapping, petrographic and geochemical analyses, and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar geochronologic and paleomagnetic studies. At least 80 monogenetic volcanic centers compose the BVF, each of which erupted small volumes of magma ranging from basalt to mafic andesite over short intervals of time. More than 140 ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar determinations for lava flows and intrusions in the BVF range in age from ~3100 ka to ~60 ka. Oriented samples for paleomagnetic analysis were collected at an equivalent number of localities (>160) coincident with, or within the same unit proximal to, the geochronologic sampling sites. Based on the frequency distribution of ages, the most significant episodes of Boring volcanism occurred between 2700 and 2200 ka, 1700 and 500 ka, and 350 and 60 ka. A systematic determination of the BVF’s eruptive history was undertaken mainly to assess its anomalous neotectonic setting west of the Cascade arc axis, as well as the magnitude of its concomitant volcanic hazards within the greater Portland and Vancouver metropolitan areas. Our paleomagnetic and geochronologic data, however, also have significant implications for the timing of geomagnetic field reversals and excursions during the Late Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. The BVF data are more numerous higher in the section, and they capture transitional fields at two polarity boundaries allowing precise age determinations to be made for these reversals: the Brunhes-Matuyama transition is thus dated at 773±5 ka, and the upper Jaramillo-Matuyama transition at 973±6 ka. The lower Jaramillo-Matuyama transition occurred prior to 1068±8 ka, and the normal Cobb subchron must have occurred between reversed-polarity Matuyama flows dated at 1159±14 ka and 1207±6 ka. The lower Olduvai-Matuyama transition occurred prior to 1927±4 ka, and the Matuyama-Gauss transition prior to 2616±18 ka. In addition, our data indicate that boundaries of the reversed Kaena subchron occurred between 3105±41 ka and 3088±9 ka (lower) and after 3055±29 ka (upper).