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Paleomagnetism and Magnetic Bacteria

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Magnetoreception and Magnetosomes in Bacteria

Part of the book series: Microbiology Monographs ((MICROMONO,volume 3))

Abstract

This contribution focuses on bacterial magnetite as a possible archive of paleomagnetic information. Bacterial magnetite can be formed intracellularly or epicellularly (extracellularly), depending on the type of bacterium. Whilst intracellularly synthesized magnetite (magnetosomes) has magnetic properties suitable for retaining paleomagnetic information, the extracellularly precipitated magnetite is mostly superparamagnetic and therefore not a reliable carrier of paleomagnetic information. We discuss the chemical conditions under which fossil magnetosomes can be preserved and what rock magnetic parameters can be used to detect their presence or absence in sediments. In the last section we briefly review the debate on whether or not the magnetite crystals observed in the Martian meteorite ALH84001 represent fossil traces of early life on Mars.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Theresienstr. 41/IV, 80333, Muenchen, Germany

    Michael Winklhofer & Nikolai Petersen

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  1. Michael Winklhofer
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  2. Nikolai Petersen
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Correspondence to Michael Winklhofer .

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Dirk Schüler

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Winklhofer, M., Petersen, N. (2006). Paleomagnetism and Magnetic Bacteria. In: Schüler, D. (eds) Magnetoreception and Magnetosomes in Bacteria. Microbiology Monographs, vol 3. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg . https://doi.org/10.1007/7171_046

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