Short-term variations in the strength and direction of the geomagnetic field have the potential to provide Quaternarychronologies with millennial and sub-millennial resolution. The variations, particularly in the form of large directionalswings such as geomagnetic excursions and relative paleointensity highs and lows, can typically be correlated over largeregions and, in many cases, worldwide. These attributes, in addition to the relative ease and speed with whichhigh-resolution measurements can be made, provide a means for constructing chronologies that can be used at sites around theglobe. When the paleomagnetic records are tied to a variety of climate and environmental proxies - stable isotope,cosmogenic isotope, lithology, sediment color, rock magnetic, and other records - they become a powerful tool forexamining the synchroneity of climatic events. Besides being a passive chronologic tool, however, the geomagnetic field mayalso play a role in climate change or be influenced by such change. Paleomagnetic records from across the North Atlanticreveal the synchroneity of the geomagnetic variability across the region, including the occurrence of multiple geomagneticexcursions during the Brunhes chron (0-780,000 years). Intriguing relationships between the geomagnetic variability and bothclimate change and orbital forcing suggest a causal link.

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