Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Leyla Namazie Rose Hills

Obtaining Paleomagnetic Data to Understand Rotation of the Baird Formation

During their formation, all rocks are exposed to Earths magnetic field. The subsequent magnetization of their individual ferromagnetic minerals preserves a record of the field at that moment in time. Described as a rocks primary natural remanent magnetization (NRM), this property allows us to observe changes in the Earths geodynamo over the course of history by comparing data with modern magnetic orientations. However, variations between a rocks paleomagnetic direction and the current magnetic direction may also be due to tectonic disturbances such as geologic folding, seafloor spreading, or crustal block rotations, all of which can displace rocks from their original latitude. Therefore, the analysis of a rocks paleomagnetism can also provide insight into the way in which a given terrane has changed over time. My project will use paleomagnetic data to test whether the terrane of the Baird formation has rotated as a solid block or differentially due to internal deformation. Since the terrane we will target within the Baird formation is older than many of the surrounding terranes, this research will give us a new understanding of the paleomagnetic and geologic processes that shaped the Klamath Mountain range region.

Message To Sponsor

This fellowship has taught me so much about what it means to be a researcher and more importantly how to think like a researcher and the way we put our questions into practice. I found an entirely new field within my department that I am currently planning to explore in the year to come and couldnt be more excited about it! I also got the chance to work one-on-one with the PI and got to know everyone in my department better!
Major: Geophysics
Mentor: Paul Renne
Sponsor: Rose Hills Experience
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