Edward A Mankinen
Ed is a Scientist Emeritus with the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center in Menlo Park, CA. He joined the USGS in 1964, retired in 2010, and returned as Emeritus in 2011. His career and current work focus in paleomagnetism/rock magnetism and conducting and interpreting gravity and aeromagnetic surveys through the Geophysical Unit of Menlo Park (GUMP).
For most of Edward Mankinen's 47-year career, he was associated with the Menlo Park Rock Magnetic Laboratory conducting various research projects in paleomagnetism/rock magnetism. Most of these studies were concentrated in the western U.S. but also included field work in Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, and Antarctica. Beginning in 1996, Ed also became associated with the Geophysical Unit of Menlo Park (GUMP) and began conducting and interpreting gravity and aeromagnetic surveys. Most of these studies were conducted in and around the Nevada Test Site and in the eastern Great Basin. As an emeritus, he has continued work on projects in both disciplines.
Professional Experience
2011 - present, Emeritus Research Geologist, GMEG Science Center
2006 - 2008, Chief, Geophysical Unit of Menlo Park (GUMP)
1988 - 1992, Chief, Paleomagnetism—Menlo Park Project
1969 - 2010, Research Geologist, Branches of: Theoretical Geophysics, Theoretical & Applied Geophysics, Petrophysics & Remote Sensing, and Isotope Geology; now with the GMEG Science Center, all USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1965 - 1969, Laboratory manager, Rock Magnetic Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA
1964 - 1965, Physical Science Technician, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
Education and Certifications
M.S., Geology, San Jose State College, 1971
B.S., Geology, San Jose State College, 1963
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Honors and Awards
2004, 2005, 2006 - USGS Star Awards
1972 - USGS Quality Increase
1970 - Department of Interior Antarctic Service Award
1970 - Congressional Antarctic Medal
Science and Products
Geophysics: A reversal of geomagnetic polarity
Paleomagnetism and K-Ar ages of volcanic rocks from Long Valley caldera, California
The Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity transition: 1. Directional history, duration of episodes, and rock magnetism
The Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity transition, 2. Field intensity variations and discussion of reversal models
Steens Mountain geomagnetic polarity transition is a single phenomenon
How the geomagnetic field vector reverses polarity
Paleomagnetism in the Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon
Implications of paleomagnetism for the tectonic history of the Eastern Klamath and related terranes in California and Oregon
Geomagnetic paleointensities from excursion sequences in lavas on Oahu, Hawaii
Paleomagnetism in the Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon
Implications of paleomagnetism for the tectonic history of the Eastern Klamath and related terranes in California and Oregon
Book review: Geomagnetism of baked clays and recent sediments
Science and Products
- Data
- Maps
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 75
Geophysics: A reversal of geomagnetic polarity
The detailed behaviour of the geomagnetic field during reversals is documented by palaeomagnetists to constrain models of the geomagnetic dynamo. Reversals are studied by measuring the magnetic remanence preserved in rocks to obtain both the direction and intensity of the ancient magnetic field.AuthorsEdward A. MankinenPaleomagnetism and K-Ar ages of volcanic rocks from Long Valley caldera, California
Paleomagnetic measurements and K‐Ar age determinations on volcanic rocks from Long Valley caldera, California, have enabled further refinement of eruptive activity within this large silicic volcanic center. K‐Ar age determinations show that postcaldera volcanic eruptions began 0.73 m.y. ago and continued periodically until about 50,000 years ago. The eruptions were not temporally random but tendedAuthorsEdward A. Mankinen, C. Sherman Grommé, G. Brent Dalrymple, Marvin A. Lanphere, Roy A. BaileyThe Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity transition: 1. Directional history, duration of episodes, and rock magnetism
The thick sequence of Miocene lava flows exposed on Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon is well known for containing a detailed record of a reversed‐to‐normal geomagnetic polarity transition. Paleomagnetic samples were obtained from the sequence for a combined study of the directional and intensity variations recorded; the paleointensity study is reported in a companion paper. This effort has rAuthorsEdward A. Mankinen, M. Prevot, C. Sherman Grommé, Robert S. CoeThe Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity transition, 2. Field intensity variations and discussion of reversal models
We carried out an extensive paleointensity study of the 15.5±0.3 m.y. Miocene reversed‐to‐normal polarity transition recorded in lava flows from Steens Mountain (south central Oregon). One hundred eighty‐five samples from the collection whose paleodirectional study is reported by Mankinen et al. (this issue) were chosen for paleointensity investigations because of their low viscosity index, high CAuthorsM. Prevot, Edward A. Mankinen, Robert S. Coe, C. Sherman GromméSteens Mountain geomagnetic polarity transition is a single phenomenon
[No abstract available]AuthorsC. S. Grommé, E. A. Mankinen, M. Prevot, R. S. CoeHow the geomagnetic field vector reverses polarity
A highly detailed record of both the direction and intensity of the Earth's magnetic field as it reverses has been obtained from a Miocene volcanic sequence. The transitional field is low in intensity and is typically non-axisymmetric. Geomagnetic impulses corresponding to astonishingly high rates of change of the field sometimes occur, suggesting that liquid velocity within the Earth's core increAuthorsM. Prevot, E. A. Mankinen, C. S. Grommé, R. S. CoePaleomagnetism in the Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon
No abstract available.AuthorsW. P. Irwin, E. A. Mankinen, C. S. GromméImplications of paleomagnetism for the tectonic history of the Eastern Klamath and related terranes in California and Oregon
No abstract available.AuthorsE. A. Mankinen, W. P. Irwin, C. S. GromméGeomagnetic paleointensities from excursion sequences in lavas on Oahu, Hawaii
Paleomagnetic data demonstrating three late Tertiary excursions in the direction of the geomagnetic field recorded in sequences of basaltic lavas on the island of Oahu, Hawaii were published by R. R. Doell and G. B. Dalrymple in 1973. We have determined geomagnetic paleointensities by the Thelliers' method for 14 lavas from the three sites. During these experiments, considerable difficulty was encAuthorsRobert S. Coe, Sherman Gromme, Edward A. MankinenPaleomagnetism in the Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon
No abstract available.AuthorsWilliam P. Irwin, Edward A. Mankinen, C. Sherman GromméImplications of paleomagnetism for the tectonic history of the Eastern Klamath and related terranes in California and Oregon
Paleomagnetic study of Permian to Jurassic volcanic and sedimentary strata of the Eastern Klamath terrane has shown the remanent magnetism of these rocks to be prefolding and primary. The Permian and Triassic rocks are both indicated to have rotated 100° clockwise, while the Jurassic strata have rotated 60° clockwise. The respective amounts of rotation for Permian and Jurassic strata are similar aAuthorsEdward A. Mankinen, William P. Irwin, C. Sherman GromméBook review: Geomagnetism of baked clays and recent sediments
This book is an outgrowth of the symposium entitled “Time Scales of Geomagnetic Secular Variations,” which was held at the 4th Assembly of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (Edinburgh, U.K., August 1981). The volume includes many of the papers presented, which described paleomagnetic results from both archeologic materials and Holocene geologic deposits, as well as contribAuthorsEdward A. Mankinen
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