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Phase difference between sea level and magnetic reversal rate

Abstract

In this letter I report a negative correlation and a phase difference of 10 Myr between recent data on long-term eustatic sea level change1 and geomagnetic reversal rate for the past 150 Myr. The phase difference is detectable both by visual inspection and through a correlation analysis. I also show that the same phase difference (but with a positive correlation) could theoretically have existed between this eustatic sea-level data and sea-floor creation rate. In light of the ridge-volume hypothesis of long-term eustasy, the analysis suggests the view that sea-floor creation rate (and/or subduction rate) and geomagnetic reversal rate are closely associated and perhaps synchronized in their changes.

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Gaffin, S. Phase difference between sea level and magnetic reversal rate. Nature 329, 816–819 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329816a0

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