Temporal and Spatial Resolution in Millennial-Scale Paleomagnetic and Archeomagnetic Field Modeling

High resolution paleomagnetic and archeomagnetic observations provide a means of extending knowledge of global and regional magnetic field variations to timescales of several thousands of years. Geomagnetic field modeling techniques routinely used for the present and historical field are now being used in paleomagnetic modeling where the temporal and spatial distribution of the observations is relatively sparse, and the data are intrinsically much less accurate. A major limitation is the highly variable accuracy of age constraints which contributes error in the form of secular variation in addition to limitations imposed by the recording media and subsequent sampling and measurement techniques. This talk will analyse the temporal and spatial resolution attainable in paleofield modeling of various kinds, and the consequences on prospects for understanding paleomagnetic secular variation.