A Paleocene paleomagnetic pole for North America from alkalic intrusions, central Montana

Abstract

The apparent polar wandering path from Late Cretaceous through early Tertiary time is not well defined. We have collected 33 paleomagnetic sites from the Paleocene Moccasin, Judith, and Little Rocky Mountains and from these a North American Paleocene paleomagnetic pole position has been determined at 174.9°W long., 80.5°N lat., with a circle of 95% confidence of 5.6°. This pole location serves as a Paleocene reference pole and enhances the North American apparent polar wandering path for a critical period of its history.