• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2011

Magnetic properties at low-temperatures can diagnose the presence of certain magnetic minerals in rocks. At the Verwey transition temperature ($T_v$, ~105~120 K), magnetite transforms from monoclinic to cubic structure as the temperature increases. At the isotropic point ($T_i$, ~135 K), magnetocrystalline anisotropic constant of magnetite passes through zero (from negative to positive) as the temperature decreases so that its optimal remanence acquisition axis changes from [111] to [001]. A sharp remanence drop was observed at $T_v$ during warming of LTSIRM (low-temperature saturation isothermal remanent magnetization). For cooling of RTSIRM (room-temperature saturation isothermal remanent magnetization), the remanence decreased on passing $T_i$ and $T_v$. On warming of RTSIRM, remanence recovery becomes more prominent as the average grain size of magnetite increases. In summary, the SIRM memory decreases with increasing grain size of magnetite. A similar, but rather gradual, remanence transition occurs for natural samples due to contribution of cations other than Fe. As a non-destructive tool, low-temperature magnetic behavior is sensitive to unravel the magnetic remanence carriers in terrestrial rocks or meteorites.