On the reliability of Mesozoic Dipole Low: New absolute paleointensity results from Parana Flood Basalts (Brazil)

[1] Thellier paleointensity experiments were carried out on Early Cretaceous Parana Flood Basalts. Forty-two samples from 11 lava flows yielded apparently reliable absolute intensity determinations. The mean paleointensity values per flow obtained in this study are ranging from 19.4 +/- 4.0 to 46.7 +/- 7.0 muT and the corresponding Virtual Dipole Moments are ranging from 4.0 +/- 0.6 to 10.5 +/- 1.1 (10(22) Am-2). These yield a mean value of 7.2 +/- 2.3 X 10(22) Am-2, which is about 92% of the present geomagnetic axial dipole. Our results in conjunction with Tarduno et al.'s [2001] data suggest that the paleostrength during early Cretaceous period might be comparable or even much higher than recent field intensity and not anomalousely' low' as previously suggested. Thus, the Mesozoic Dipole Low (MDL) may probably be considered as unreliable.