New paleomagnetic and paleointensity data from Georgia (Caucasus): a review

Resumen

Reliable paleomagnetic data from the Caucasus area, which forms part of the Alpine-Himalayanorogenic belt, are still sparse if compared to other regions of this fold belt, since the methodology employedin many of the studies carried out before the nineteen-nineties often does not fulfil the minimum reliabilityand quality criteria required for present-day paleomagnetic results. Nevertheless, since the 1990’s anumber of new paleomagnetic studies, which are based on a more up-to-date paleomagnetic methodologyhave been published, thus supplying more trustworthy paleomagnetic results from the Caucasus. In theRepublic of Georgia, these paleomagnetic studies were directed towards different topics, including generalpaleomagnetic studies, paleomagnetism applied to tectonics, the study of the direction and intensity of theancient geomagnetic field or archeomagnetic studies.The present review tries to provide an outline and an integrated view of the new paleomagnetic and paleointensity results obtained during the last two decades in one of the countries belonging to the Caucasus region, the Republic of Georgia.