The Laboratory of Rock Magnetism is equipped with high-end facilities for field sampling of oriented specimens, measurements of magnetic susceptibility and its anisotropy, thermomagnetic analysis, remanent magnetization measurements, alternating field demagnetization, thermal demagnetization, and pulse and anhysteretic magnetization. The paleomagnetic instruments are placed inside a shielded cage. The AGICO software package is used for statistical data processing and interpretation.
We use several hand-held gasoline-powered drills, Tanaka TED-262 and Hitachi DW25EF, with an in-house water circulation system and diamond-tipped non-magnetic drill bids for collecting oriented samples in the field. The lab also provides a sample preparation room, including a table laboratory drill OPTIdrill B 32, a single-blade rock saw, and a bronze anvil apparatus for the preparation of powdered samples.
The Laboratory of Rock Magnetism was founded in 2010, thanks to financial support from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, and in part through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Research Plan No. MSM0021620855.
The laboratory apparatuses designed for magnetic susceptibility measurements include a state-of-the-art AGICO Kappabridge KLY5 equipped with a 3D rotator, CS4 Furnace, and CS-L Cryostat.
In 2020, the laboratory was moved to a larger and fully renovated room, and was expanded with an AGICO JR-6A automatic spinner magnetometer, LDA5 alternating field demagnetizer with associated PAM1 anhysteretic/pulse magnetizer. During 2025, the laboratory welcomed a brand new Magnetic Measurements MMTD24 thermal demagnetizer and MMLFC 3-axis fluxgate controlled low field cage. The laboratory expansion was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic through the projects OPVV ERDF II No. CZ.02.2.67/0.0/0.0/18_057/0013298, OPVV ERDF III No. CZ.02.02.01/00/23_023/0009064, and by the Geology section at the Faculty of Science, Charles University. The laboratory also hosts an older ASC Model IM-10-30 pulse magnetizer capable of up to 2.7 T pulses for standard paleomagnetic samples (or up to 5 T for smaller samples).
Our main goals are to develop geologic applications of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), anisotropy of remanent magnetization (ARM), paleomagnetic methods, and rock-magnetic methods. We aim to transfer this knowledge to our undergraduate and graduate students. Lastly, we want to promote research in rock magnetism at Charles University. The Laboratory has been designed primarily for non-commercial scientific purposes, for students and faculty members. Using the Laboratory is free of charge for undergraduate students of Charles University, on the understanding that the users strictly follow the operating instructions.
The laboratory is available for Charles University graduate students, academic staff, and external guests. Before using the laboratory, please review:
All users will receive initial training and may use the laboratory independently upon accepting the laboratory rules
The total investment into the facility exceeded 8,500,000 CZK (350,000 EUR), excluding construction works and other related computational and office equipment.
Contact: Filip Tomek, email: filip.tomek@natur.cuni.cz, phone: 221951465
