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An Improved Algorithm For Unmixing Firstā€Order Reversal Curve Diagrams Using Principal Component Analysis

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Harrison, RJ 
Muraszko, Joy 
Heslop, David 
Lascu, Ioan 
Muxworthy, Adrian 

Abstract

Firstā€order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams of synthetic binary mixtures with singleā€domain, vortex state, and multiā€domain end members (EMs) were analyzed using principal component analysis (FORCā€PCA). Mixing proportions derived from FORCā€PCA are shown to deviate systematically from the known weight percent of EMs, which is caused by the lack of reversible magnetization contributions to the FORC distribution. The error in the mixing proportions can be corrected by applying PCA to the raw FORCs, rather than to the processed FORC diagram, thereby capturing both reversible and irreversible contributions to the signal. Here we develop a new practical implementation of the FORCā€PCA method that enables quantitative unmixing to be performed routinely on suites of FORC diagrams with up to four distinct EMs. The method provides access not only to the processed FORC diagram of each EM, but also to reconstructed FORCs, which enables objective criteria to be defined that aid identification of physically realistic EMs. We illustrate FORCā€PCA with examples of quantitative unmixing of magnetic components that will have widespread applicability in paleomagnetism and environmental magnetism.

Description

Keywords

first-order reversal curves, FORCs, unmixing, principal component analysis, PCA, greigite

Journal Title

Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1525-2027
1525-2027

Volume Title

19

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell
Sponsorship
European Research Council (320750)