Micromagnetics of paleomagnetically significant mineral grains with complex morphology

Wyn Williams, M. E. Evans, David Krasa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Micromagnetic calculations relevant to paleomagnetism have generally focused on ideal shapes such as spheres and cubes. However, oxide grains that occur naturally in rocks often have irregular morphologies, highly skeletal dendritic forms being particularly common. To investigate the potential effects of complex grain morphology on magnetic stability, we have carried out two parallel sets of calculations. The first is based on randomly distorted 30-120 nm magnetite spheres. We use a three-dimensional finite element/boundary integral micromagnetic model able to generate suitable morphologies unrestricted by the regular cell structure required by finite difference models. The second model consists of a 300 nm magnetite octahedron from which most of the material has been removed to leave a small octahedral crystallite at each of the six apices connected by an orthogonal framework of thin rods. The results obtained imply that micromagnetic models currently provide no unambiguous evidence that morphological complexities endow magnetite nanoparticles with enhanced coercivity.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberQO2Z14
Number of pages8
JournalGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Volume11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2010

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