The fold test in palaeomagnetism

Abstract

The fold test suggested by McElhinny is shown to be inappropriate. More correctly one should determine whether the mean direction of a group of sites from one limb of a fold may be distinguished statistically from the mean direction of a group of sites from another limb. Details of the application of this test are given with examples. It is shown that the test indicates significance under far less severe folding than does the test suggested by McElhinny.