Mineral & Rock Magnetism

Mission: Explore the fundamental mineral physics and magnetic properties of natural and synthetic materials.

Upper: Energy filtered image of an intergrown magnetite (blue) and ulvospinel (red) inclusion in clinopyroxene (green). Lower: Electron holography image of magnetic flux within the inclusion. Feinberg et al., 2006

All materials are magnetic and the details of their magnetic properties can often be just as diagnostic as their elemental composition.

Everyone at the Institute for Rock Magnetism is deeply committed to understanding the physical origins of magnetism in natural and synthetic materials and how they evolve under variable temperatures, pressures, applied fields, and chemical environments. We study the induced and remanent magnetic properties of materials and how these vary with grain size. We explore the behavior of ensembles of magnetic minerals, how they acquire remanence, and their directionally-variable anisotropy. We image magnetizations at a variety of lengthscales from nanometer to millimeter length scales.

The Institute for Rock Magnetism maintains one of the world's largest arrays of magnetic instrumentation for the study of natural and synthetic materials. Our research also incorporates imaging tools such as magnetic force microscopy, quantum diamond magnetometry, scanning SQUID microscopy, Lorentz microscopy, and electron holography. We also characterize our samples using non-magnetic technqiues such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopes, electron backscatter diffraction, elctron microprobe, and transmission electron microscopy.

While most of my research is experimental, my group also uses numerical modeling and develops new data processing techniques for use by the broader geomagnetic community.

Funding for this research has been provided by

U.S. National Science Foundation
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
University of Minnesota

Related Publications

Woods, T., Feinberg, J.M., Genareau, K., Park, C., Won, H., and Hong, Y. 2023. Magnetic properties of lightning-induced glass produced from five mineral phases. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128, e2023JB026561, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JB026561

Hobart, K.K., Greensky, Z., Hernandez, K., Feinberg, J.M., Bailey, J.V., and Jones, D.S., 2023. Microbial communities from weathered outcrops of a sulfide-rich ultramafic intrusion, and implications for mine waste management. Environmental Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.16489

McDaris, J., Feinberg, J.M., Levine, J., and Runkel, A.C., 2023. Establishing Specific Conductance-Chloride Relationships for Quaternary and Bedrock Aquifers in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota, United States. Earth Science, Systems and Society. https://doi.org/10.3389/esss.2023.10084

Bezaeva, N.S., Badyukov, D.D., Feinberg, J.M., Kars, M., and Kosterov, A., 2023. The effect of 30 to >100 GPa Shock on the Magnetic Properties of Chinga Iron Meteorite. In: Kolotov, V.P., Bezaeva, N.S. (eds) Advances in Geochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Planetary Sciences. Springer, Cham., 335-350, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09883-3_18

Doctor, R., and Feinberg, J.M., 2022. Differential thermal analysis using high temperature susceptibility instruments. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 127(7), e2021JB023789, http://doi.org/10.1029/2021JB023789

Ohenhen, L.O., Feinberg, J.M., Slater, L.D., Ntaragiannis, D., Rios-Sanchez, M., Isaacson, C.W., Stricker, A., Atekwana, E.A., 2022. Magnetic Evidence of Anaerobic Oxidation and Iron Mineral Dissolution in Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Aquifer, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006560

Voelz, J.L., Hobart, K.K., Stahovich, K.A., Ziebol, H.E., Harper, N.A., Feinberg, J.M., Arnold, W.A., and Penn, R.L., 2022, Organic Matter Inhibits Redox Activity and Impacts Heterogeneous Growth of Iron (Oxyhydr)oxides on Nano-Hematite, ACS Earth and Space Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00419

Feinberg, J.M., Hobart K.K.. 2021. Attraction in the Dark: The Magnetism of Speleothems. Elements. 17(2):113-118, https://doi.org/10.2138/gselements.17.2.113

Sprain, C.J., Feinberg, J.M., Lamers, R., Bono, R.K., 2021. Characterization of Magnetic Mineral Assemblages in Clinkers: Potential Tools for Full Vector Paleomagnetic Studies. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GC009795

Silveira, V.E.P., dos Santos, N.B., Franco, D.R., La Terra, E.F., Feinberg, J.M., Scorzelli, R.B., Fontes, M.B., Bertolino, L.C., Cagliari, J., Souza, M.K., Hartmann, G.A., 2021. Environmental magnetism evidence for longshore drift distribution of Fe-being phases: An example from the Brazilian southeastern coastal region. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 91(11), 1133-1150, https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2020.089

Jaqueto, P., Trindade, R.I.F., Feinberg, J.M., Carmo, J., Novello, V.F., Strikis, N.M., Cruz, F.W., Shimizu, M.H., Karmann, I., 2021. Magnetic mineralogy of speleothems from tropical -subtropical sites of South America. Frontiers in Earth Science. 9(634482), https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.634482

Drenth, BJ, Souders, AK, Schulz, KJ, Feinberg, J.M., Anderson, RR., Chandler, VW, Cannon, WF, and Clark, RJ. 2020. Evidence for a concealed midcontinent rift-related northeast Iowa intrusive complex. Precambrian Research, 347(105845), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.precamres.2020.105845

Biedermann, A.R., Jackson, MJ., Chadima, M., Hirt, AM, and Feinberg, JM., 2020. Beyond the second order magnetic anisotropy tensor: Higher-order components due to oriented magnetite exsolutions in pyroxenes, and implications for paleomagnetic and structural interpretations. Geophysical Journal International, 223(2):915-933. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggaa355

Feinberg, J.M., Lascu, I., Lima, E.A., Weiss, B.P., Dorale, J.A., Alexander Jr., E.C., Edwards, R.L., 2020. Magnetic detection of paleoflood layers in stalagmites and implications for historical land use changes. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 530(115946),1-6, doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.115946.

Biedermann, A.R., Jackson, M., Stillinger, M.D., Bilardello, D., and Feinberg, J.M., 2020. Anisotropy of full and partial anhysteretic remanence across different rock types: 1. Are partial anhysteretic remanence anisotropy tensors additive? Tectonics, 39(2), doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005284

Biedermann, A.R., Jackson, M., Bilardello, D., and Feinberg, J.M., 2020. Anisotropy of full and partial anhysteretic remanence across different rock types: 2. Coercivity-dependence of remanence anisotropy, Tectonics, 39(2), doi.org/10.1029/2018TC005285

Biedermann, A.R., Jackson, M., Bilardello, D., and Feinberg, J.M., 2019. Anisotropy of (partial) isothermal remanent magnetization: DC-field-dependence and additivity. Geophysical Journal International. 218(2), 1428-1441, doi: 10.1093/gji/ggz234.

Volk, M.W.R., and Feinberg, J.M. 2019. Domain State and Temperature Dependence of Pressure Remanent Magnetization in Synthetic Magnetite: Implications for Crustal Remagnetization. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2019GC008238

Biedermann, A.R., Bilardello, D., Jackson, M., Tauxe, L., and Feinberg, J.M., 2019. Grain-size-dependent remanence anisotropy and its implications for paleodirections and paleointensities – proposing a new approach to anisotropy corrections. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 512, 111-123. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2019.01.051

Lindquist, A.K., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Loudon, J.C., and Newell, A.J., 2019. The effects of dislocations on crystallographic twins and domain wall motion in magnetite at the Verwey transition. Earth, Planets, Space. 71(5), doi: 10.1186/s40623-018-0981-7

Myre, J.M., Lascu, I., Lima, E.A., Feinberg, J.M., Saar, M.O., Weiss, B.P., 2019. Using TNT-NN to unlock the fast full spatial inversion of large magnetic microscopy datasets, Earth, Planets, Space. 71(14), doi: 10.1186/s40623-019-0988-8

Volk, M.W.R., McCalla, E., Voight, B., Manno, M. Leighton, C., and Feinberg, J.M., 2018. Changes in physical properties of 4C pyrrhotite, Fe7S8, across the 32 K Besnus transition, American Mineralogist. doi.10.2138/am-2018-6514.

Badyukov DD, Bezaeva NS, Rochette P, Gattacceca J, Feinberg JM, Kars M, Egli R, Raitala J, Kuzina DM. 2018. Experimental shock metamorphism of terrestrial basalts: Agglutinate-like particle formation, petrology and magnetism. Meteoritics & Planetary Science. 1:131-150. Doi: 10.1111/maps.13006.

Maxbauer DP, Feinberg JM, Fox DL, Nater E. 2017. Response of pedogenic magnetite to changing vegetation in soils developed under uniform climate, topography, and parent material. Scientific Reports, 7, 17575, doi:10.1038/s41598-017-17722-2.

Sharma A, DiVito M, Shore D, Block A, Pollock K, Solheid P, Modiano J, Feinberg JM, Lam C, Hubel A et al.. 2017. Alignment of Collagen Matrices using Magnetic Nanowires and Magnetic Barcode Readout using First Order Reversal Curves (FORC). Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. Doi: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2017.11.035.

Biedermann AR, Jackson MJ, Bilardello D, Feinberg JM, Brown MC, McEnroe S. 2017. Influence of static alternating field demagnetization on anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility: Experiments and implications. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi. 10.1002/2017GC007073.

Strauss, BE, Feinberg, JM, Johnson, CL., 2016. Magnetic mineralogy of the Mercurian lithosphere, Journal of Geophysical Research – Planets, 121(11), 2225-2238. Doi: 10.1002/2016JE005054.

Byrne JM, van der Laan G, Figueroa-Garcia A, Appel E, Qafoku O, Rosso KM, Wang C, Pearce C, Jackson M, Feinberg JM. 2016. Size dependent microbial oxidation and reduction of magnetite nano- and micro-particles. Scientific Reports. 6(30969). Doi: 10.1038/srep30969.

Maxbauer DP, Feinberg JM, Fox DL, Clyde WC. 2016. Magnetic minerals as recorders of weathering, diagenesis, and paleoclimate: a core-outcrop comparison of Paleocene-Eocene paleosols in the Bighorn Basin, WY, U.S.A. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 452:15-26. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.07.029.

Maxbauer DP, Feinberg JM, Fox DL. 2016. MAX UnMix: A web application for unmixing magnetic coercivity data. Computers & Geosciences. 95:140-145. Doi:10.1016/lj.cageo.2016.07.009.

Volk, M.W.R., Gilder, S.A., and Feinberg, J.M., 2016. Low temperature magnetic properties of monoclinic pyrrhotite with particular relevance to the Besnus transition. Geophysical Journal International. 207(3):1783-1795. Doi: 10.1093/gji/ggw376.

Bezaeva, N., D. A. Chareev, P. Rochette, M. Kars, J. Gattacceca, Feinberg, J.M., R. A. Sadykov, D. M. Kuzina, and S. N. Axenov, 2016, Magnetic characterization of non-ideal single-domain monoclinic pyrrhotite and its demagnetization under hydrostatic pressure up to 2 GPa, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 257, 79-90. Doi: 10.1016/j.pepi.2016.05.009.

Sprain, C.J., Feinberg JM, Renne, P.R., Jackson, M.J., 2016, Importance of titanohematite in detrital remanent magnetizations of strata spanning the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, Hell Creek region, Montana. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 17. Doi: 10.1002/2015GC006191.

Soltis, J., Feinberg, J.M., Gilbert, B., and Penn, R.L., 2016. Phase transformation and particle-mediated growth in the formation of hematite from 2-line ferrihydrite. Journal of Crystal Growth and Design. Doi:10.1021/acs.cgd.5b01471.

Maxbauer, D.P., Feinberg, J.M., Fox, D.L., 2016. Magnetic mineral assemblages in soils and paleosols as the basis for paleoprecipitation proxies: A review of magnetic methods and challenges, Earth-Science Reviews, 155: 28-48. Doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.01.014.

Drenth BJ, Anderson RR, Schulz KJ, Feinberg JM, Chandler VW, Cannon WF. 2015. What lies beneath: Geophysical mapping of a concealed Precambrian intrusive complex along the Iowa-Minnesota border. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 52(5), 279-293, doi:10.1139/cjes-2014-0178.

Shaar R, Tauxe L, Ben-Yosef E, Kassianidou V, Lorentzen B, Feinberg JM, Levy TE. 2015. Decadal-scale variations in geomagnetic field intensity from ancient Cypriot slag mounds. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 16(1):195-214. Doi: 10.1002/2014GC005455.

Lindquist AK, Feinberg JM, Harrison RJ, Loudon JC, Newell AJ. 2015. Domain wall pinning and dislocations: Investigating magnetite deformed under conditions analogous to nature using transmission electron microscopy. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 120(3), 1415-1430. Doi: 10.1002/2014JB011335.

Feinberg JM, Solheid PA, Swanson-Hysell NL, Jackson MJ, Bowles JA. 2015. Full vector low-temperature magnetic measurements of geologic materials. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 16(1):301-314. Doi: 10.1002/2014GC005591.

Friedman, S.A., Feinberg, J.M., Ferré. E.C., Martín-Hernandez, F., Conder, J.A., Rochette, P., 2014. Craton vs. rift uppermost mantle contributions to magnetic anomalies in the United States interior. Tectonophysics, 624-625, 15-23. Doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2014.04.023.

Ferré. E.C., Friedman, S.A., Martín-Hernandez, F., Feinberg, J.M., Till, J.L., Ionov, D.A., Conder, J.A., 2014. Eight good reasons why the uppermost mantle could be magnetic. Tectonophysics, 624-625, 3-14. Doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2014.01.004.

Bezaeva, N.S., Badyukov, D.D., Nazarov, M.A., Rochette, P., Feinberg, J.M., Markov, G.P., Borschneck, D., Demory, F., Gattacceca, J., and Borisovskiy, S.E., 2014. Magnetic properties of the LL5 ordinary chondrite Chelyabinsk (fall of February 15, 2013). Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 49(6), 958-977. Doi: 10.111/maps.12307.

Strauss, B.E., Strehleu, J.H., Lascu, I., Dorale, J.A., Penn, R.L., and Feinberg, J.M., 2013. The origin of magnetic remanence in stalagmites: Observations from electron microscopy and rock magnetism. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 14(12), 5006-5025. Doi: 10.1002/2013GC004950.

Lappe, S.-C., Feinberg, J.M., Muxworthy, A., Harrison, R.J., 2013, Comparison and calibration of non-heating paleointensity methods: A case study using dusty olivine, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. Doi: 10.1002/ggge.20141.

Frahm, E., and Feinberg, J.M., 2013. From Flow to Quarry: Magnetic Properties of Obsidian and Changing the Scale of Archaeological Sourcing. Journal of Archaeological Science, 40(10), 3706-3721. Doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2013.04.029.

Bezaeva, N.S., Badyukov, D.D., Nazarov, M.A., Rochette, P., and Feinberg, J.M., 2013. Magnetic properties of the Chelyabinsk meteorite: Preliminary Results. Geochemistry International. 51(7), 568-574. Doi: 10.1134/S0016702913070082.

Shaar, R., and Feinberg, J.M., 2013. Rock magnetic properties of dendrites: insights from MFM imaging and implications for paleomagnetic studies, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1002/ggge.20053.

Ferré, E.C., Friedman, S.A., Martín-Hernandez, F., Feinberg, J.M., Conder, J.A., and Ionov, D., 2013. The magnetism of mantle xenoliths and potential implications for sub-Moho magnetic sources, Geophysical Research Letters, 40(1-6), doi:10.1029/2012GL054100.

Kasama, T., Harrison, R.J., Church, N.S., Nagao, M., Feinberg, J.M., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., 2012. Ferrimagnetic/ferroelastic domain interactions in magnetite below the Verwey transition. Part 1: Electron Holography and Lorentz Microscopy, Phase Transitions: A Multinational Journal, doi: 10.1080/01411594.2012.695373.

Lindquist, A., Feinberg, J.M., Waters, M.R., 2011. The Rock Magnetic Properties of a Soil Developed on an Alluvial Deposit at Buttermilk Creek, Texas, USA, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2011GC003877.

Lappe., S.-C., Fanta, A., Bromily, G., Russel, S., Dunin-Borkowski, R., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., 2011. Mineral Magnetism of dusty olivine, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2011GC003811.

Brownlee, S.J., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Kasama, T., Scott, G.R., and Renne, P.R., 2011. Magnetic properties of ilmenite-hematite single crystals from the Ecstall pluton near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2011GC003622.

Church, N., Feinberg, J.M., and Harrison, R.J., 2011. Low-temperature domain wall pinning in titanomagnetite, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2011GC003538.

Swanson-Hysell, N.L., Feinberg, J.M., Berquo, T.S., and Maloof, A.C., 2011. Self-reversed magnetization held by martite in basalt flows from the 1.1-billion-year-old Keweenawan rift, Canada, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 305, 171-184. Doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2011.02.053.

Kasama, T., Church, N., Feinberg, J.M., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., and Harrison, R.J., 2010. Direct observation of ferrimagnetic/ferroelastic domain interactions in magnetite below the Verwey transition, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2010.05.004.

McNeil, R.P.G., Schneble, R.J., Kataoka, M., Ford, C.J.B., Kasama, T., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Barnes, C.H.W., Tse, D.H.Y., Trypiniotis, T., Bland, J.A., Anderson, D., Jones, G.A.C., and Pepper, M., 2010. Localised magnetic fields in arbitrary directions using patterned nanomagnets, NanoLetters, 23, doi: 10.1021/nl902949v.

Shaar, R., Ron, H., Tauxe, L., Kessel, R., Agnon, A., Ben-Yosef, E., Feinberg, J.M., 2010. Testing the accuracy of absolute intensity estimates of the ancient geomagnetic field using copper slag material. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 290, 201-213. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2009.12.022.

Brownlee, S.J., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Kasama, T., Scott, G.R., and Renne, P.R., 2010. Effects of Temperature on Ilmenite-Hematite: Microstructure and Magnetic Properties in the Ecstall Pluton, British Columbia, American Mineralogist, 95, 153-160. Doi: 10.2138/am.2010.3191.

Harrison, R.J., and Feinberg, J.M., 2009. Mineral Magnetism: Providing New Insights into Geoscience Processes, Elements, 5, 209-215. Doi: 10.2113/gselements.5.4.209.

Galindo-Gonzalez, C., Feinberg, J.M., Kasama, T., Gontard, L.C., Posfai, M., Kosa, I., Duran, J.D.G., Gil, J.E., Harrison, R.J., and Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., 2009. Magnetic and microscopic characterization of magnetite nanoparticles adhered to clay surfaces, American Mineralogist, 94, 1120-1129. Doi: 10.2138/am.2009.3167.

Harrison, R.J., and Feinberg, J.M., 2008. FORCinel: An improved algorithm for calculating first-order reversal curve (FORC) distributions using locally-weighted regression smoothing: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2008GC001987.

Junginger, F., Kläui, M., Backes, D., Krzyk, S., Rüdiger, U., Kasama, T., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Heyderman, L.J., 2008. Quantitative determination of vortex core dimensions in head-to-head domain walls using off-axis electron holography, Applied Physics Letters, 92, 112502, doi: 10.1063/1.2829601.

Harrison, R.J., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., Kasama, T., Simpson, E.T., and Feinberg, J.M., 2007, Magnetic properties of rocks and minerals, In G. Schubert, Ed., Treatise on Geophysics, Elsevier. ISBN 0444519289. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53802-4.00048-8

Feinberg, J.M., Harrison, R.J., Dunin-Borkowski, R.E., Kasama, T., Scott. G.R., and Renne, P.R., 2006, The influence of nanoscale microstructure on the remanence properties of clinopyroxene-hosted titanomagnetite inclusions: an electron holography study: Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth, 111, B12S15, doi:10.1029/2006JB004498.

Feinberg, J.M., Wenk, H.-R., Scott, G.R., and Renne, P.R., 2006, Preferred orientation and anisotropy of seismic and magnetic properties in gabbronorites from the Bushveld layered intrusion: Tectonophysics, 420, 345-356. doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2006.03.017.

Feinberg, J.M., Scott, G.R., Renne, P.R., and Wenk, H.-R., 2005, Exsolved Magnetite Inclusions in Silicates: Features Determining Their Remanence Behavior: Geology, 33 (6), p. 513-516. doi: 10.1130/G21290.1.

Feinberg, J.M., Wenk, H.-R., Renne, P.R., Scott, G.R., 2004. Epitaxial relationships of silicate-hosted magnetite determined using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique. American Mineralogist, 89, p. 462-466. doi: 10.2138/am-2004-2-328.

Renne, P.R., Scott, G.R., Glen, J.M.G., and Feinberg, J.M. (2002) Oriented inclusions of magnetite in clinopyroxene: Source of stable remanent magnetization in gabbros of the Messum Complex, Namibia. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 3(12), 1079, doi: 10.1029/2002GC000319