Cryptic Paleomagnetic Complexity in the Ediacaran Egersund Dikes

Abstract The Ediacaran Period (∼635–539 Ma) represents a critical interval in Earth's evolution, yet its paleomagnetic record remains complex and contentious. One of the few Ediacaran paleomagnetic results from Baltica considered robust is a pole from the ca. 616 Ma Egersund dikes in southwest Norway, which is interpreted to represent a primary thermoremanent magnetization. However, we report on a new paleomagnetic and rock magnetic investigation of these dikes that suggests that their paleomagnetic record is more complex than previously recognized. Our results reveal a multicomponent remanence structure, and we identify a new high‐temperature component that positive baked contact tests suggest to be the primary thermoremanent magnetization. Together with microscopic and geochemical analyses, we demonstrate that another distinct component represents a remagnetization acquired during Caledonian orogenesis. Although we also identified a stable direction similar to that interpreted as the primary component in earlier studies, our analysis suggests this component may be an artifact resulting from vector overlap of the other components. The origins of two additional directions, which deviate markedly from the other components and known Phanerozoic reference directions, remain uncertain. They may reflect transitional geomagnetic states, hinting at the possibility of a more dynamic and unstable Ediacaran geomagnetic field. Our revised pole position (20.8°N, 89.0°E) differs from earlier results by more than 40°, with important implications for Baltica's paleogeographic evolution. This study underscores the value of integrated approaches and highlights the importance of reinvestigating key paleomagnetic results, particularly from data‐poor intervals of time and space.