THE magnetic properties of the basalts which form layer 2 of the oceanic lithosphere are important because of their relevance to the hypothesis (Vine and Matthews, 1963, doi:10.1038/199947a0) of seafloor spreading. Most studies of these magnetic properties have been carried out on basalts obtained from dredge hauls taken predominantly from ocean ridge systems and fracture zones. These constitute special areas of the oceanic crust where the sediment cover is negligible. It is of interest to compare the magnetic properties of the dredged basalts with samples recovered from holes drilled through the overlying sediments into the basaltic layer at places distant from ridge axes. Samples obtained from the abandoned Mohole project and, more recently, from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) possessed magnetic properties similar to those of dredged basalts (Cox and Doell, 1962, doi:10.1029/JZ067i010p03997; Lowrie et al., 1973, doi:10.1016/0012-821X(73)90198-2). Here I describe highly unstable magnetic characteristics found in basalts from DSDP hole 57.

VRM and NRM were erroneously given in mA/m instead of Gauss. Corrected on 2020-01-20.

Supplement to: Lowrie, William (1973): Viscous remanent magnetization in oecanic basalts. Nature, 243(5401), 27-29