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Thermoremanent magnetisation (TRM)

Definition

Magnetic alignment locked into iron-bearing minerals as they cool through the Curie temperature after being heated. Burning soil can transform weakly magnetic iron oxides into more strongly magnetic magnetite or maghemite, enhancing susceptibility.

Related terms

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)
A method using multiple electrodes on a line or grid to inject current and measure voltage, computing a two-dimensional or three-dimensional resistivity...
EM conductivity (frequency-domain EM)
A non-contact method using a transmitter coil to induce eddy currents in the ground and a receiver coil to measure the secondary...
Fluxgate gradiometer
An instrument that measures the vertical gradient of the Earth's magnetic field using two fluxgate sensors mounted on a staff at fixed...
Magnetic susceptibility
A measure of how strongly a material is magnetised by an external field. Topsoil heated by fire or biological activity has elevated...
Wenner array
A four-electrode resistivity configuration where all four electrodes are equally spaced. Depth of investigation is approximately equal to the electrode spacing. Provides...

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