Abstract
Paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic data of Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks from the Euiseong area indicate that the stable components of remanence are carried by single and pseudo-single domain magnetite, with the exception of the Shinyangdong Formation which has been remagnetized. The Hayang Group, except for the remagnetized Shinyangdong Formation, yields the mean characteristic direction of $D/I=22.5^{\circ}/57.2^{\circ}$ (${\alpha}_{95}=4.6^{\circ}$, N=14 sites) and the pole position is $72.0^{\circ}N$, $206.4^{\circ}E$ ($dp/dm=4.9^{\circ}/6.7^{\circ}$). The Yucheon Group shows two polarities and the mean characteristic direction of $D/I=351.2^{\circ}/60.5^{\circ}$ (${\alpha}_{95}=11.2^{\circ}$, N= 19 sites) and the pole position is $81.3^{\circ}N$, $79.0^{\circ}E$ ($dp/dm=13.0^{\circ}/17.0^{\circ}$). The mean directions of both the Hayang and the Yucheon Groups are supported by the McElhinny's fold test at the 99% confidence level and that of the Yucheon Group by a reversal test at the 95% confidence level. A magnetostratigraphic correlation between polarities of the study formations and the Geomagnetic Time Scale indicates that the Hayang Group can be correlated to the Cretaceous Long Normal Superchron (CLNS), and the Yucheon Group to the boundary between the CLNS and the Polarity Chron 33R or later boundaries between normal and reverse polarities. Comparison of the paleopoles from this study with those from the surrounding areas both within the Gyeongsang basin and in the northeastern Asia indicates that the study area was not undergone significant tectonic rotations with respect to the other parts of the Gyeongsang basin and that the Korean Peninsula was the part of the single terrane of the northeastern Asia at least since the CLNS. The Yucheon Group can be divided into four sub-groups based on the paleomagnetic data, suggesting that there were at least four times of volcanic activities in the study area.