  X-ray resonant magnetic scattering studies of rare earth magnetic ordering
were performed on perovskite manganites RMnO3 (R = Dy, Gd) in an applied
magnetic field. The data reveal that the field-induced three-fold polarization
enhancement for H || a (H approx. 20 kOe) observed in DyMnO3 below 6.5 K is due
to a re-emergence of the Mn-induced Dy spin order with propagation vector k(Dy)
= k(Mn) = 0.385 b*, which accompanies the suppression of the independent Dy
magnetic ordering, k(Dy) = 1/2 b*. For GdMnO3, the Mn-induced ordering of Gd
spins is used to track the Mn-ordering propagation vector. The data confirm the
incommensurate ordering reported previously, with k(Mn) varying from 0.245 to
0.16 b* on cooling from T_N(Mn) down to a transition temperature T'. New
superstructure reflections which appear below T' suggest a propagation vector
k(Mn) = 1/4 b* in zero magnetic field, which may coexist with the previously
reported A-type ordering of Mn. The Gd spins order with the same propagation
vector below 7 K. Within the ordered state of Gd at T = 1.8 K we find a phase
boundary for an applied magnetic field H || b, H = 10 kOe, which coincides with
the previously reported transition between the ground state paraelectric and
the ferroelectric phase of GdMnO3. Our results suggest that the magnetic
ordering of Gd in magnetic field may stabilize a cycloidal ordering of Mn that,
in turn, produces ferroelectricity.
