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paleomagnetism

[ pey-lee-oh-mag-ni-tiz-uhm or, especially British, pal-ee- ]
/ ˌpeɪ li oʊˈmæg nɪˌtɪz əm or, especially British, ˌpæl i- /

noun

Geology. magnetic polarization acquired by the minerals in a rock at the time the rock was deposited or solidified.

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Compare remanent magnetism.

Origin of paleomagnetism

First recorded in 1850–55; paleo- + magnetism

OTHER WORDS FROM paleomagnetism

pa·le·o·mag·net·ic [pey-lee-oh-mag-net-ik or, especially British, pal-ee-], /ˌpeɪ li oʊ mægˈnɛt ɪk or, especially British, ˌpæl i-/, adjective

Words nearby paleomagnetism

paleolimnology, paleolith, Paleolithic, Paleolithic man, paleology, paleomagnetism, paleon., paleontol., paleontologist, paleontology, paleopathology
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Scientific definitions for paleomagnetism

paleomagnetism
[ pā′lē-ō-măg′nĭ-tĭz′əm ]

The fixed orientation of a rock's magnetic minerals as originally aligned at the time of the rock's formation. Paleomagnetism is usually the result of thermoremanent magnetization (magnetization that occurs in igneous rocks as they cool). Examination of the paleomagnetism of the Earth's ocean floors revolutionized the field of geology by providing evidence for the existence and movement of tectonic plates. See Note at magnetic reversal.
The scientific study of such magnetic remanence.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.