Posted on 08/25/2008 5:58:11 PM PDT by Raineygoodyear
There are these changes in the South Atlantic, an area where the magnetic field has the smallest envelope at one third [of what is] normal," said Mioara Mandea, a geophysicist at the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. Even before the newly detected changes, the South Atlantic Anomaly represented a weak spot in the magnetic field — a dent in Earth's protective bubble. Bubble bobble The Earth's magnetic field extends about 36,000 miles into space, generated from the spinning effect of the electrically-conductive core that acts something like a giant electromagnet. The field creates a tear-drop shaped bubble that has constantly shielded life on Earth against much of the high-energy radiation flowing from the sun. The last major change in the field took place some 780,000 years ago during a magnetic reversal, although such reversals seem to occur more often on average. A flip in the north and south poles typically involves a weakening in the magnetic field, followed by a period of rapid recovery and reorganization of opposite polarity. Some studies in recent years have suggested the next reversal might be imminent, but the jury is out on that question. Measuring interactions between the magnetic field and the molten iron core 1,864 miles down has proven difficult in the past, but the constant observations of satellites such as CHAMP and Orsted have begun to bring the picture into focus. Electric storm Mandea worked with Nils Olsen, a geophysicist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, to create a model of the fluid core that fits with the magnetic field changes detected by the satellites. However, the rapid weakening of the magnetic field in the South Atlantic Anomaly region could signal future troubles for such satellites.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
don’t forget Cheney!
I guess if the poles flip, we might get a whopper of an emp.
Satellite communications would be disrupted.
If the Earth’s magnetic field was weakened enough the national power grid could be destroyed.
Fragile electronics like computers could be destroyed.
If it lasted long enough birth defects and cancer rates would climb and fertility rates would fall.
Would we lose the internet?
Speaking of 25%, when is somebody going to debunk the "US uses 25% of the world's oil.....a figure that spouted by every anti-US politician for the last 40 years. With China and India and others rapidly expanding usage and the US flat, isn't it, well, odd that the figure remains unchanged and utterly stable?
I sure hope Al can help with this, now that the climate appears to be cooling a little. Maybe he can figure out how to trade magnetic credits ... or ... something.
As the earth’s core cools the magnetic field will weaken. This will cause disassociation of earth’s most important greenhouse gas, water, and will result in the cooling of the atmosphere and widespread climate change.
In 20 or 30 million years this could get to be a real problem.
Good thing there is plenty of water in the outer solar system.
(BTW, is it just me or is FR running slooooowww today?)
I had the same question. I suspect he means that the sun will be on a direct line between the earth and the center of the galaxy. Those wacky Mayans, realizing that if you combine the vast gravitational forces of the sun and the center of the galaxy on the earth, and if the ENTIRE mass of the galaxy were concentrated at a single point at th center you will get 1.00000001 times the gravity of the Sun alone. Obvious catastrophe coming.
Of course, the entire mass of the galaxy is spread throughout the galaxy. So the number is actually much smaller than 1.00000001 (there are actually several more zeros before the last one). [Estimates based on Galaxy mass = 6x10^11 Solar masses and distance to center of galaxy = 1.6x10^-9 AU]. The moon has a much more powerful affect on the earth every time it lines up with the Sun.
Wow. Paging Dr. Maunder...
Bush and McCain. Women and minorities will be hardest hit.
I would guess yes.
All of the commutation satellites would be gone.
Fiber networks would survive but the electronics that operate them may be cooked.
High energy protons and electrons that constantly stream out of the sun towards the earth are deflected around the sun by the earth’s magnetic field.
If the earth’s magnetic field is too weak those protons and electrons will continue through the atmosphere and impact whatever happens to be on the earth surface.
If those subatomic particles happen to hit electronic equipment in sufficient numbers the electrons and protons will change the chemical composition of the microscopic wires changing their chemical properties and if those protons and electrons are in large enough numbers cause electric currents that would burn out sensitive electronics.
The short answer to your unasked question is yes we would lose our precious FreeRepublic. HORROR OF HORRORS!
Somebody notify Algore that he can get in on the ground floor of another environmental scam.
Someone always has some pending disaster in their pocket to keep everyone on edge. So it changes, I suspect the sun will still rise, I think I’ll just leave the big things to God and enjoy my life.
Among other things, it would mean your compass points south instead of north.
The toilet water will swirl in the opposite direction when we flush.
Dick Morris will start sucking fingers.
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.
