This grant supports acquisition and upgrade of equipment in the University of Hawaii Rock and Paleomagnetism Laboratory. An existing but no longer functional spinner magnetometer, for magnetic remanence measurements of strongly magnetized samples (e.g., recent volcanics), will be refurbished, and an aged Kappabridge, for the measurement of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility for petrofabric investigations, will be replaced. The instruments will support a broad range of paleomagnetic and rock magnetic research that relies on magnetic remanence directional analyses and relative and absolute paleointensity measurements to study the behavior of the Earth's magnetic field and elucidate its physical origin and dynamics and for basic studies of paleogeography of relevance to understanding Earth's plate tectonic motions. The instruments will support faculty and student research and research training and will remain an open analytical facility for visiting scientists.
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During the month of May of 2012 we had the new MFK1-FA Multi-Function Kappabridge Spinner Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) instrument installed in the University of Hawaii SOEST-HIGP Petrofabrics and Paleomagnetics Laboratory. The MFK1-FA is the world’s most sensitive commercially available laboratory instruments to measure Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of variable magnetic fields at 3 different frequencies, in-phase and out-of-phase in cooperation with CS4 /CS-L devices to determine the variation of susceptibility measurements at highand low-temperatures. The MFK1-FA Kappabridge consists of the pick-up unit and a control unit connected with the DPU1 data processing unit. In principle the instrument represents a super-precise fully automatic inductivity bridges. The instrument is equipped with an automatic zeroing system (in both real and imaginary components) and automatic compensation The measuring coil is designed as a compensated solenoid with an outstanding field homogeneity. The Main Features are: • High sensitivity 2 x 10 (SI) • Fully automatic zeroing system • Three operating frequencies • Rapid AMS measuring (MFK1-FA, A) • Autoranging • Built-in circuitry for controlling the optional CS4 Furnace and CS-L Cryostat • Advanced diagnostics • Sophisticated software support • Measurement of in-phase and out-of-phase susceptibility • Variable measuring fields Figure 1. Picture showing the brand new MFK1-FA Kappabridge instrument already installed and working at the SOESTHIGP Petrofabrics and Paleomagnetics Laboratory of the University of Hawaii After the installation and set up was completed, we have been conducting the pertinent tests to make sure the instrument is working according to the specifications from the manufacturing company. We have been conducting research regarding the determination of azimuths of dikes within a dike swarm in the Koolau Volcano, Oahu Hawaii. We have sampled in great detail several dikes to decipher their flow direction and test the new MFK1-FA instrument. Figure 2 shows the sampling technique and Figure 3 shows the results of the AMS test. In addition to the magnetic anisotropy instrument we were able to incorporate the CS3 attachment to determine Curie points of rocks by using the low-field susceptibility versus temperature (k-T) properties of the materials understudy as can be seen in Figure #4. We have also requested funds to rebuilt our JR5A Spinner magnetometer and the grant also included a small portion of the funds to do the much needed refurbishing of the instrument. The magnetometer was rebuilt and now is back in operation to measure the NRM of our specimens of all our projects funded by NSF, Figure 5 shows the JR5A instrument. Therefore, we have upgraded our SOEST-HIGP Petrofabrics and Paleomagnetics Laboratory of the University of Hawaii by installing the "state of the art" MFK1-FA Multi-Function Kappabridge Spinner Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) instrument, repaired the JR5A Spinner magnetometer and attached to the Kappabridge the CS3 attachment that will allow us to determine Curie points of our rocks under study.
