A test of the Earth's magnetic field during Permian time

Abstract

Quantitative paleontologic data sensitive to the planetary temperature gradient are used with similar data for living organisms to test two possible Permian latitude models for the Northern Hemisphere. The Permian paleontologic data applied to a present-earth model yield a pattern strikingly similar to that of living organisms on the same model. Permian paleontologic data applied to a Permian paleomagnetic earth model show a pattern which is again strikingly similar to that exhibited by living organisms when plotted on this (for them patently incorrect) framework. The results indicate that the present-earth latitude model could be correct for the Permian but do not prove that this is so because data are sparse, the noise level is relatively high, and neither North America nor Eurasia contains the equator for this model of the earth. The data show that the Permian paleomagnetic models tested are as inappropriate for the Permian as for the Recent data. The fact that the paleomagnetic models are found inappropriate in this test may be interpreted to indicate that (1) the paleontological data are inadequate, (2) the paleomagnetic model used is not correct because data needed to define it are lacking in large areas, or (3) the Permian magnetic field was not axial.