Significance For Paleomagnetism
Paleomagnetists are interested in the primary natural remanent magnetization (NRM) in a rock, acquired when the rock was originally formed. Viscous remanent magnetization is regarded as noise. Any component of the NRM that is in the direction of the present Earth's field is suspect because it may have been acquired since the last geomagnetic reversal. Fortunately, VRM is often removed by the first steps in a stepwise thermal demagnetization of the NRM.
VRM may also be acquired in the laboratory while measuring the NRM. To avoid this, paleomagnetists make their measurements in a magnetically shielded environment. Often the magnetometer is housed in a room with walls made of mu-metal.
Read more about this topic: Viscous Remanent Magnetization
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