Nanomagnetic Tomography: Unlocking the Vortex Realm for Paleomagnetism and Rock-magnetism

The Earth’s magnetic field plays a pivotal role in the Earth Sciences: magnetic signals stored in geological materials, such as igneous rocks, provide a record of Earth’s magnetic history and are essential for understanding e.g. tectonic processes, planetary dynamics, and the behavior of the geomagnetic field itself. Much of this record, however, remains inaccessible because not all magnetic particles in a sample reliably record the Earth’s magnetic field. Small, sub-micron vortex-state particles are predicted to be stable and reliable recorders, but they are undetectable by current micromagnetic methods. SPARK propels paleomagnetism into the nano realm by isolating and analyzing magnetic signals exclusively from these tiny but reliable particles, unlocking a wealth of hidden paleomagnetic data.Therefore, SPARK will pioneer Nanomagnetic Tomography, a technique designed to isolate and analyze signals from only the most reliable vortex-state particles in a sample. By systematically assessing their magnetic stability as function of their size, shape, and mineralogy, SPARK will identify which particles are dependable recorders and which should be excluded. Building on this foundation, it will develop robust and efficient protocols to reconstruct the past direction and intensity of the Earth’s magnetic field, especially from magnetically complex materials that conventional methods cannot reliably analyze.This transformative approach will revolutionize paleomagnetic research, providing unprecedented insights into enigmatic periods of Earth’s magnetic history, such as the Devonian and Ediacaran, as well as the dynamics of geomagnetic reversals and anomalies like the South Atlantic Anomaly. Beyond igneous rocks, SPARK’s methodologies will redefine studies of e.g. the oldest rocks on Earth, meteorites, and extraterrestrial samples, opening entirely new frontiers in understanding planetary evolution across the Solar System.