Magnetic hysteresis in natural materials

Magnetic hysteresis loops and the derived hysteresis ratios R sub H and R sub I are used to classify the various natural dilute magnetic materials. R sub I is the ratio of saturation isothermal remanence (I sub R) to saturation (I sub S) magnetization, and R sub H is the ratio of remanent coercive force (H sub R) to coercive force (H sub C). The R sub H and R sub I values depend on grain size, the characteristics of separate size modes in mixtures of grains of high and low coercivity, and the packing characteristics. Both R sub H and R sub I are affected by thermochemical alterations of the ferromagnetic fraction. Hysteresis loop constriction is observed in lunar samples, chondrite meteorites, and thermochemically altered basaltic rocks, and is due to mixtures of components of high and low coercivity. Discrete ranges of R sub H and R sub I for terrestrial and lunar samples and for chondrite meteorites provide for a classification of these natural materials based on their hysteresis properties.