Hi,
It was nice to bump into this site of Pleomagnetism on the trek of one of our drills. Paleo – means old, so Paleomagnetism means ancient magnetism. The non formal name is Reversal Magnetism.
Those are rocks that left with magnetic field of old times, were the magnetic north of earth is not as it is today. It happened during the geological history of earth.
Rocks such as Basalt, that forms from lava flows, keeps the magnetic direction in their time of eruption 🗻. Those are the Magnetite and Ilmenite minerals, that keeps the magnetic field direction Basalt rocks hit by lightning, can also change their polarity.
In this place in the Golan Heights, this phenomena really intense. You hold the compass in your hand and it point north, put it down on the rock and the compass needle point west. If you are not an army trek, you can download a compass app to your smartphone. You will see how it also goes nuts
Keep that in mind next time you looking for the North in Golan heights. Although this phenomena is mostly local, it can really confuse. See that, while tou are in the Golan heifhts, you are measuring the north on an open field and on your eyes height.
Take care
Gad
The Paleomgnetism site
The information site
A Normal rock
“The paleomagetism rock”
Holding the compass above the rock and it points north
The compass on the Paleomagnetism rock points
A lookout view and some information over Wasset junction, Odem Volcano and forest and Mount Hermon