Paleosecular Variation and the Time-Averaged Geomagnetic Field Since 10 Ma

AbstractInvestigations into long‐term geomagnetic variations provide useful information regarding paleomagnetic field behavior. In this study, we assess the latitudinal structure of paleosecular variation (PSV) and the time‐averaged field (TAF) for the Brunhes normal and Matuyama reverse chrons, and for the 0–10 Ma period, from an updated and reviewed paleodirectional database spanning the past 10 Myr. The new database comprises 2,543 paleomagnetic sites from igneous rocks, providing improvements in the geographic and temporal distributions of high‐quality data relative to previous compilations. In addition, the new data collection differs considerably in application of strict selection criteria. Statistical analysis of the virtual geomagnetic pole (VGP) dispersion curve of Model G reveals a low latitudinal dependence of PSV for the last 10 Myr. For this period, we present a zonal TAF model based on the latitudinal distribution of inclination anomaly data. The best estimates found for axial quadrupole and octupole components were about 3% and 1% relative to axial dipole component, respectively. The new statistical models for the Brunhes and Matuyama chrons have different patterns in both PSV and TAF, in compliance with earlier studies. Our quantitative assessments indicate an apparent hemispheric PSV asymmetry, particularly in the Brunhes chron, with a stronger latitudinal signature in the southern hemisphere compared to the north. These findings suggest that equatorial PSV asymmetry, that has previously been found in modern, historical and millennial scale geomagnetic models, has persisted over the past 0.78 Ma.