Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why Earth's Magnetic Field Might Not Flip After All
Live Science ^ | April 30, 2018 03:35pm ET | Stephanie Pappas,

Posted on 05/01/2018 8:06:25 AM PDT by BenLurkin

In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today (April 30), researchers ... found that today's patterns don't resemble the two most extreme disruptions in the past 50,000 years, when the magnetic field nearly reversed. [7 Ways the Earth Changes in the Blink of an Eye]

Instead, the modern field appears similar to the field during two other periods — one 49,000 ago, and one 46,000 years ago — when the field wobbled but didn't flip-flop.

... Currently, magnetic north is very close to the North Pole, while magnetic south is near the South Pole. That's been the case for about 780,000 years — the last time the geomagnetic field underwent a complete reversal, with magnetic north and south swapping places. But the field has been weakening by about 5 percent per century since direct observations started in 1840, and indirect observations hint that this weakening might have been going on for at least 2,000 years, Maxwell Brown, who studies paleomagnetism at the University of Iceland, and his colleagues wrote in their new paper. A particularly weak area called the South Atlantic Anomaly, which stretches from South Africa to Chile, has been pinpointed as a potential ground zero for a global polarity reversal.

Brown and his colleagues wanted to compare today's conditions with the magnetic field of years past. They focused on two "excursions," which are major disruptions of the geomagnetic field that don't necessarily involve a global reversal of magnetic north and south. One, the Laschamp excursion, occurred about 41,000 years ago. During that excursion, the magnetic field was a complex muddle without a clear magnetic north and south. The other, the Mono Lake excursion, happened about 34,000 years ago and was marked by a very weak magnetic north and south.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; geomagneticreversal; gps; magneticfield; magnetism; poleshift; science
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 next last
To: z3n

Perhaps it is time for you to do your homework instead of guessing.


21 posted on 05/01/2018 9:00:11 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Art Bell is gonna flip his magnetic pole from the grave when he gets this news.


22 posted on 05/01/2018 9:00:16 AM PDT by cornfedcowboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: z3n

“So yeah, just because the iron in some magma at a specific position on the globe didn’t get influenced in a north-south orientation for 50 years only means that the field wasn’t generating unified polarity and position over that time. It doesn’t mean the field stopped existing.”

Proof that limited knowledge can be hazardous.


23 posted on 05/01/2018 9:03:49 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

proof?


24 posted on 05/01/2018 9:05:34 AM PDT by z3n
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: z3n

“No, something tells me that the ‘lull’ that are showing in minerals or where every they measure the magentic field in the past are a spot phenomenon. “

Something tells me that these are not spot phenomenon(sic).


25 posted on 05/01/2018 9:07:04 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Consequences of a magnetic field disruption (short of a flip): http://euanmearns.com/the-laschamp-event-and-earths-wandering-magnetic-field/

Aururas around the planet
Probable volcanic activity from the same geological processes
Increased cosmic ray flux, low clouds, etc
Global cooling

Also we would be less protected from solar flares. The earth's magnetic field weakening is obviously independent of solar activity, but the coincidence of a strong solar flare would induce damaging currents on long electric lines (small electrics and electronics would not be affected).

26 posted on 05/01/2018 9:10:32 AM PDT by palmer (...if we do not have strong families and strong values, then we will be weak and we will not survive)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

Not saying it’s a spot phenomenon. The field is a global phenomenon. But when you are attempting to measure the effects of a field in the distant past, you are taking samples from distinct ‘spots’ or locations.

So all I am saying is that because iron filaments during a certain time didn’t orient strongly in any predominant direction, it doesn’t mean there wasn’t a magnetic field. It only means that the field may have been changing in orientation enough that it causes no specific alignment to be measured later.

Also, it’s just a theory I’m positing for discussion. It’s not like I’m suggesting we write a new chapter in your child’s science books.


27 posted on 05/01/2018 9:33:26 AM PDT by z3n
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

No Flip!!! I’m ruined!

I’ve been trying to corner the market on magnets with the North poles on the bottom and the south poles on the top instead of vice versa.

I’ve also invented a drain insert that makes sure that water continues to swirl counterclockwise after the flip. I expected these to be in huge demand because of the emotional distress of water swirling the wrong direction.


28 posted on 05/01/2018 9:35:23 AM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
the modern field appears similar to the field during two other periods — one 49,000 ago, and one 46,000 years ago — when the field wobbled but didn't flip-flop. ... Currently, magnetic north is very close to the North Pole, while magnetic south is near the South Pole. That's been the case for about 780,000 years — the last time the geomagnetic field underwent a complete reversal, with magnetic north and south swapping places.

I'm not a scientific dude, but how is it these guys think they know what happened 780,000 years ago? Even more puzzling, how do they know what didn't happen 49,000 and 46,000 years ago? They know the weebles wobbled but didn't fall down over 40,000 years ago? I'm calling shenanigans.

29 posted on 05/01/2018 9:36:32 AM PDT by Go Gordon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: z3n


Not saying it’s a spot phenomenon”

?

“are a spot phenomenon”


30 posted on 05/01/2018 9:39:39 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Obviously, scientists have no clue. Last year they were saying that it would flip. This year no.

They should not be so eager to make bold predictions when they don’t know what they are talking about.


31 posted on 05/01/2018 9:42:05 AM PDT by I want the USA back (The media is acting full-on as the Democratic Party's press agency now: Robert Spencer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN

” I’ve been trying to corner the market on magnets with the North poles on the bottom and the south poles on the top”

Not sure of your point but you are referring to the common magnet.


32 posted on 05/01/2018 9:44:39 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Go Gordon

“Im not a scientific dude”

Duly noted.


33 posted on 05/01/2018 9:46:14 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: I want the USA back

“Obviously, scientists have no clue. “

Obviously, you have no clue.


34 posted on 05/01/2018 9:47:07 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

“Not saying it’s (the field) a spot phenomenon”

?

“are (measured as) a spot phenomenon”

~~~~

In parentheses are the two different contexts that those were made.

So I will repeat it again for you.
When you are sampling a location for the effects of the magnetic field in history, it is a SPOT phenomenon.
The field itself is a global phenomenon, obviously.

That’s the whole point I was trying to make. The field does not disappear no even does it potentially diminish by a major fraction in it’s global effect. However, if it is bobbing and shifting a lot over the period of time where you obtain your sample, the iron (or other sample source you are measuring) are not going to show a singular strong alignment


35 posted on 05/01/2018 9:58:21 AM PDT by z3n
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: z3n

“However, if it is bobbing and shifting”

Contradicts your original.


36 posted on 05/01/2018 10:05:49 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

They don’t know what creates the magnetosphere. The THEORY is core churn. They’ve attempted it in lab experiments at smaller scale and can’t create a field from it.

The truth is, they don’t know where it comes from.

Everything we know about magnetism is empirical. We have not been able to really penetrate it to understand it. Most physics professors will cop to that.


37 posted on 05/01/2018 10:08:47 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: TexasGator

Does it?

Bobbing and shifting implies that the orientation of the field is changing. Not the intensity of the field itself.


38 posted on 05/01/2018 10:16:31 AM PDT by z3n
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: z3n

Yes. You referenced an iron core and the earth rotation.

Not sure how they can bob and shift.


39 posted on 05/01/2018 10:21:53 AM PDT by TexasGator (Z1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: DannyTN

The magnetic field flip won’t affect the water swirl, you’ll have to wait for the Earths rotation to reverse for that.


40 posted on 05/01/2018 10:30:33 AM PDT by jaydubya2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson