Correlation of palaeomagnetic directions constrains eruption rate of large igneous provinces

AbstractThe rate of eruption of lava flows in large igneous provinces is a highly controversial topic with implications for the processes by which mass extinctions of life occurred throughout the Phanerozoic. It is also an extremely difficult parameter to measure, but may be accessed through the correlation of palaeomagnetic directions recorded in neighbouring lava flows. The next-neighbour correlation can be described by a single additional parameter which can be evaluated by constructing a suitable covariance matrix. It is found to be a useful proxy for the rate of eruption of Cenozoic lavas from the North Atlantic igneous province and has the potential to help constrain the eruptive histories of other large igneous provinces. Significant next-neighbour correlation is revealed even in the absence of grouping of directions, giving a method of detecting changing eruption rates when there are no magnetostratigraphic markers. Significant correlation is found over timescales of tens of thousands of years in volcanic datasets making it doubtful that records of recent secular variation over shorter timescales can be used as a model for palaeosecular variation. By eliminating next-neighbour correlation, it is demonstrated how estimates of palaeosecular variation may be derived, with formal confidence limits, allowing robust comparisons to be made between sites. Using this method we show that the angular dispersion of the field dropped significantly during the 2.5 million year long polarity chron C24r