Review of the low-temperature magnetic properties of magnetite from a rock magnetic perspective

Abstract

The low-temperature magnetic properties of magnetite are reviewed, and implications for rock magnetism considered. The behaviour of fundamental properties of magnetite at low temperatures near the Verwey transition (Tv ) are documented, and attention is given to various Verwey transition theories. The low-temperature behaviour of the magnetic energies that control domain structure is reviewed in detail. For the first time in rock magnetic literature, the low-temperature anomaly in spontaneous magnetization (Ms ) is documented and the differences between the saturation magnetization and Ms near the Verwey transition are discussed. It is argued that the low-temperature behaviour of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and in particular the anomaly at Tv is most likely to affect multidomain remanence during low-temperature cycling. For multidomain crystals it is calculated that the large increase in magnetocrystalline anisotropy intensity and reduction in symmetry on cooling through Tv is likely to reduce the stability of closure domains.