Paleomagnetism is the study of the terrestrial magnetic field recorded by rocks at the time of their formation or during relevant geological processes that took place afterwards (e.g. metamorphism). It is based on three basic assumptions: 1) Axial geocentric dipole: The Earth’s magnetic field is on average dominated by an axial dipole parallel to the rotational axis of the Earth. 2) Record of the magnetic field: Ferromagnetic minerals in rocks and sediments can record the past Earth’s magnetic field. 3) Unchanged record over time: The magnetization acquired by a rock or sediment at the time of formation remains unchanged over time. The Paleomagnetism Laboratory focuses on magnetic stratigraphy (polarity reversals of the Earth’s magnetic field), rock magnetism, and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility in various sedimentary environments.

The Paleomagnetism equipment is composed of: i) a Cryogenic magnetometer (SQUID) (755 SRM, 2G Enterprises), equipped with a three-coil system with the capacity to apply a field of up to 170 m Tesla; ii) a thermal Demagnetizer model ASC TD48-SC (ASC Scientific), with a capacity to heat 48 one-inch diameter or one -inch cubic geological samples in a single batch; iii) a MicroMag 3900 vibrating magnetometer (VSM – Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc.) with cryostat and furnace; a Kappabridge MFK1-FA susceptometer (AGICO), full equipped with special Up/Down mechanism and rotator for spinning specimen method of AMS measurements; and Bartington MS2 susceptometer, with a variety of sensors together with a field portable mesauring instrument; iv) two impulse magnetizer, a 2G Model 670 IRM with the capacity to create magnetic fields of up to 2 Teslas and a ASC Model IM-10-30 with the capacity to create magnetic fields up to 5 T, both enabling the application of isothermal remanent magnetization (IRM) for the characterization of the ferromagnetic phases; v) a JR-6A (AGICO) dual spinner magnetometer, for rapid and accurate measurement of remanent magnetization, fully controlled by a PC notebook or desktop; vi) a LDA5 AF/PAM1 (AGICO), an alternating field demagnetizer with a field amplitude up to 200mT, computer-controlled and fully automated, with the extension of PAM1 which serves for applying a deliberate anhysteretic or isothermal magnetization; and vii) a Helmholtz Coil 3D coil system (ASC), which provide a known and uniform magnetic field between the coils. They are calibrated in such a way that the magnetic field inside them is neutral so that the samples are not affected by the current magnetic field. They are used as a "waiting" area for the samples, before being analyzed.