Introduction to the Special Section on Physical and Biogeochemical Processes Responsible for the Magnetization of Sediments

Sediment palcomagnetism has made important contributions to magnetostratigraphy, tectonic reconstructions, and studies of geomagnetic field behavior. Interpretations of the sedimentary palcomagnetic record depend critically on when and how the natural remanent magnetization (NRM) is acquired and what postdepositional modifications have occurred. This special section of the Journal of Geophysical Research is a collection of 16 papers that address recent advances in our understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological processes which affect the acquisition and alteration of the NRM in sediments. The issue is an outgrowth of a special symposium on magnetization processes in sediments that was convened at the 1987 Spring AGU Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland.