Further improvements in deconvolution of pass-through paleomagnetic measurement data: Accuracy of positioning and sensor response

Abstract:

Pass-through superconducting rock magnetometer (SRM) is one of the most important tools for modern paleomagnetism research. It offers rapid and continuous measurements of weak remanent magnetization preserved in various geological archives. However, pass-through SRM measurements are inevitably smoothed and even distorted due to the convolution effect of the SRM sensor response, and deconvolution is necessary to restore high-resolution signal from pass-through measurements. Reliable deconvolution relies on accurate estimate of the SRM sensor response and our understanding of errors associated with sample measurements. In this presentation, we introduce new practical tool and procedure to facilitate rapid and accurate measurements of SRM sensor response with demonstration using an SRM at the Kochi Core Center, Japan. We also report accurate measurements of SRM tray positions measured using laser interferometry. The measured positions with an actual u-channel sample on the tray show vibrations with peak amplitudes of ~50μm following each stop of the tray. The vibrations diminish towards background level in ~0.4 sec. Comparison with the positions expected from the stepping motor counts show random discrepancies with standard deviations of 0.1~0.2 mm. Measurements with u-channel show higher standard deviations including significant stepwise changes of up to ~0.5mm.