Ferromagnetic behaviour of interacting superparamagnetic particle aggregates in basaltic rocks

Studies on two rare cases of magnetic behaviour in basaltic rocks are reported. In both the cases a peak in susceptibility occurs at −160°C. However, one sample shows only normal hysteresis loops at low temperatures in a wide range of fields, while the other sample shows a constricted hysteresis loop in 1000 Oe at −190°C. Both types of behaviour can occur as a result of differing states of aggregation of interacting superparamagnetic particles in the respective samples.