Comparison of Two Methods of Performing the Thellier Experiment (or, How the Thellier Experiment Should Not Be Done)

Abstract

Described are two slightly different procedures for performing the Thellier experiment (THELLIER and THELLIER, 1959). The first method is essentially that of COE (1967a, b), and the second is a slight modification thereof. The observed differences in the PNRM-PTRM curves are attributed to differences in the experimental procedure. The Coe method is preferred, as it is more symmetrical with respect to high temperature VRM and spontaneous decay and more likely to yield linear PNRM-PTRM plots.