Paleointensity Behavior and Intervals Between Geomagnetic Reversals in the Last 167 Ma

Abstract

The results of comparative analysis of the behavior of paleointensity and polarity (intervals between reversals) of the geomagnetic field for the last 167 Ma are presented. Similarities and differences in the behavior of these characteristics of the geomagnetic field are discussed. It is shown that bursts of paleointensity and long intervals between reversals occurred at high mean values of paleointensity in the Cretaceous and Paleogene. However, there are differences between the paleointensity behavior and the reversal regime: (1) the characteristic times of paleointensity variations are less than the characteristic times of the frequency of geomagnetic reversals, (2) the achievement of maximum values of paleointensity at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary and the termination of paleointensity bursts after the boundary of 45–40 Ma are not marked by explicit features in the geomagnetic polarity behavior.