Bayesian Preprocessing for Palaeomagnetic Sediment Records Using a
Flexible Lock-in Function Approach
Abstract
Geomagnetic field models covering past millennia rely on two main data
sources: archaeomagnetic data, that provide snapshots of the geomagnetic
field at specific locations, and sediment records, that deliver time
series of the geomagnetic field from individual drill cores. The limited
temporal and spatial global coverage with archaeomagnetic data
necessitates use of sediment data, especially when models go further
back in time. However, the accurate preprocessing and interpretation of
sediment data is crucial. Unlike archaeomagnetic data, sediment data
does not provide absolute values for intensities and declinations;
instead, it represents relative variations. The detrital remanent
magnetization (DRM) of sediment records is influenced by various
depositional (dDRM) effects that can result in inclination shallowing,
as well as post-depositional (pDRM) processes that cause a delayed and
smoothed signal. To address the distortion associated with the pDRM
effects, a novel class of flexible parameterized lock-in functions has
been proposed. These lock-in functions involve four parameters, which
are estimated using a Bayesian modeling technique and archaeomagnetic
data. By extending the space of hyperparameters to include the
calibration factor for intensities, the declination offsets and the
inclination shallowing factor, we present a fully Bayesian preprocessing
method for sediment records in form of a Python package, called
extit{sedprep}. By applying the estimated parameters to the raw
sediment data extit{sedprep} is able to provide a calibrated and
preprocessed palaeomagnetic record.