  We carried out a detailed and continuous paleomagnetic sampling of the
reversed to normal geomagnetic transition recorded by some 60 consecutive flow
units near the base of the Lesotho Basalt (183 &#61617; 1 Ma). After
alternating field or thermal cleaning the directions of remanence are generally
well clustered within flow units. In contrast, the thermal instability of the
samples did not allow to obtain reliable paleointensity determinations. The
geomagnetic transition is incompletely recorded due to a gap in volcanic
activity attested both by eolian deposits and a large angular distance between
the field directions of the flows underlying or overlying these deposits. The
transition path is noticeably different from that reported in the pioneer work
of van Zijl et al. (1962). The most transitional Virtual Geomagnetic Poles are
observed after the volcanic hiatus. Once continents are replaced in their
relative position 180 Ma ago, the post-hiatus VGP cluster over Russia. However,
two successive rebounds from that cluster are found, with VGP reaching
repeatedly Eastern Asia coast. Thus, the VGP path is not narrowly constrained
in paleolongitude. The decrease in intensity of magnetization as the field
deviates from the normal or reversed direction suggests that the decrease in
field magnitude during the reversal reached 80-90%. We conclude that although
the reversal is of a dipole of much weaker moment than that which existed on
average during Cenozoic time, the characteristics of the reversing geodynamo
seem to be basically similar.
