Remanent magnetization directions in glacial diamictons have not been tested against established records of the geomagnetic field at the time and place of deposition and the accuracies of diamictons as geomagnetic field recorders have not been determined. An established record of Late Wisconsinan geomagnetic declination, from DRM in varved sediment in the western Mohawk Valley, New York, will be used to test the fidelity of remanence from contemporaneous till, sediment flow deposits, pelagic rainout diamicton, and subglacially deformed lacustrine beds. In addition to remanence, anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) and anisotropy of anhysteretic susceptibility (AAS) will be measured. AMS will be used to determine fabrics dominated by coarse particles that carry a viscous remanence, while AAS should record fabrics dominated by fine particles that carry a stable remanence. Petrographic analysis of microfabrics, AMS, and AAS will be used to determine whether remanence directions and particle alignment in various types of diamictons are related to geomagnetic field orientation, mass movement, subglacial shearing, dewatering or compaction. Unlike previous works, this study will: 1) test remanence direction against an established geomagnetic field record, 2) distinguish between genetic diamicton types, and 3) use AAS and petrofabric analysis to study grain alignment.
