Magnetic mineralogy of the Baringo core (HSPDP-BTB13-1A, Kenya) shows astronomical forcing with implications for retrieving meaningful paleointensity

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  1. Mark J. SIER ,  
  2. Bianca R. Spiering ,  
  3. Mark J. Dekkers
    ,  
  4. Frits J. Hilgen
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Abstract

This study evaluates the potential of the BTB13 sedimentary core from the Baringo Basin, Kenya, to contribute to relative paleointensity (RPI) records and improve geochronological correlations across Eastern Africa. The core, spanning ~3.3-2.6 Ma, is part of the Hominin Sites Paleolakes Drilling Project (HSPDP) and has a robust age model based on magnetostratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar dating. High-resolution rock magnetic analyses, including NRM/ARM ratios and pseudo-Thellier RPI methods, were applied to test the suitability of the core for RPI reconstruction. Results indicate that the magnetic signal is dominated by environmental rather than geomagnetic influences, with large amplitude NRM/ARM variations failing standard selection criteria for RPI. Spectral analysis reveals strong periodicities at ~22, ~40, ~50, and ~400 kyr, aligning with orbital parameters and suggesting that the magnetic signal is climatically driven, likely linked to lake level changes paced by precession and obliquity cycles. While unsuitable for RPI-based correlations, the BTB13 core preserves a valuable astrochronological signal that can support regional correlation and paleoenvironmental reconstruction in the context of hominin evolution.

Corresponding author
Mark J. SIER
Grant information

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101109142.

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© 2025 Mark J. SIER (Corresponding Author, Co-Author); Bianca R. Spiering (Co-Author); Mark J. Dekkers (Co-Author); Frits J. Hilgen (Co-Author) Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Authors & roles

Mark J. SIER

Earth Sciences, Utrecht University Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584CB, The Netherlands

Centro Nacional de Investigacion sobre la Evolucion Humana, Burgos, Castile and León, Spain

Roles
Corresponding Author, Co-Author, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, Funding Acquisition, Investigation, Project Administration, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Bianca R. Spiering

Earth Sciences, Utrecht University Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584CB, The Netherlands

Roles
Co-Author, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

Mark J. Dekkers

Earth Sciences, Utrecht University Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584CB, The Netherlands

Roles
Co-Author, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing

Frits J. Hilgen

Earth Sciences, Utrecht University Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584CB, The Netherlands

Roles
Co-Author, Formal Analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing

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