Earth's magnetic field. Computer simulation of the Earth's field in a period of normal polarity between reversals.[1] The lines represent magnetic field lines, blue when the field points towards the center and yellow when away.
The rotation axis of the Earth is centered and vertical. The dense clusters of lines are within the Earth's core.[2] The North Magnetic Pole wanders sufficiently slowly to keep ordinary compasses useful for navigation. At random intervals, however, averaging around several hundred thousand years, the Earth's field reverses and the North and South Magnetic Poles switch places. These reversals of the geomagnetic poles leave a record in rocks that allow paleomagnetists to calculate past motions of continents and ocean floors as a result of plate tectonics. Importance[edit] Variations in the magnetic field strength have been correlated to rainfall variation within the tropics.[11] Main characteristics[edit] Description[edit] Intensity[edit] Inclination[edit] An Overview of the Earth's Magnetic Field.
Contents 1 Introduction2 Geomagnetic field observations 2.1 Definitions 2.2 Observatories 2.3 Satellites 2.4 Other direct observations 2.5 Indirect observations.
The Earth's Magnetic Field. 'Zebra Stripes' in Earth's Magnetic Field Have Surprising Source. Strange stripelike features in Earth's magnetic field are caused by the planet's spin, and not by the constant bombardment of solar particles as previously thought, scientists say.
The so-called "zebra stripes" form when the electric field around Earth generated by the planet's rotation — previously thought to be too weak to impact the fast-moving particles — creates a striped pattern in the inner electron belt. "Features similar to zebra stripes were previously inferred from low-altitude electron measurements," said lead study author Sasha Ukhorskiy of Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland. 2012: Magnetic Pole Reversal Happens All The (Geologic) Time. 2012: Magnetic Pole Reversal Happens All The (Geologic) Time Schematic illustration of Earth's magnetic field.
Credit/Copyright: Peter Reid, The University of Edinburgh› View larger Scientists understand that Earth's magnetic field has flipped its polarity many times over the millennia. In other words, if you were alive about 800,000 years ago, and facing what we call north with a magnetic compass in your hand, the needle would point to 'south.' This is because a magnetic compass is calibrated based on Earth's poles. Reversals are the rule, not the exception. Sediment cores taken from deep ocean floors can tell scientists about magnetic polarity shifts, providing a direct link between magnetic field activity and the fossil record. Earth's polarity is not a constant. Another doomsday hypothesis about a geomagnetic flip plays up fears about incoming solar activity. Related Link: Earth's Magnetic Field And Maori Stones. April Flowers for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online The Maori of New Zealand have been cooking in earth ovens, called hangi or umu, since at least the 1200s.
These ovens are fire pits, scooped out of the ground. A fire is built and large volcanic stones are laid over the fire. When the fire burns down, the food is wrapped in leaves, placed in baskets and laid on the rocks with wet fern fronds. Is it true that the Earth‘s magnetic field is about to flip? Like football teams at half time, geophysicists think that the Earth’s magnetic poles could soon switch ends with the magnetic north pole becoming south, and the magnetic south pole becoming north.
Fortunately, when they say ‘soon’ geophysicists are thinking in geological timescales and they actually mean sometime in the next few thousand years. It’s thought that the Earth’s magnetic field is generated by the molten iron core at the centre of the planet. The molten iron has currents of its own, just like an ocean, and these moving currents create the magnetic field. But the currents are not consistent and the Earth’s magnetic field moves around, with the magnetic north pole currently drifting by about 10 miles a year. Poles flip completely But this movement of the field is small compared to a complete flip so what is there to suggest that one is imminent? Fading magnetic fields So do we need to worry? Weird Shift of Earth's Magnetic Field Explained. Earth's magnetic field shields the planet from charged particles streaming from the sun, keeping it from becoming a barren, Mars-like rock.
For more than 300 years, scientists have recorded a westward-drifting feature in the field that models have been unable to explain. By relying on insights gleaned from previous work, as well as data collected over nearly four centuries, an international team of scientists has been able to provide a model that accounts for the western drift of the magnetic field on one side of the planet. "People have tried various configurations regarding the state of the core-mantle alignment," lead author Julien Aubert, of the Université Paris Diderot in France, told SPACE.com in an email. " Forget global warming, worry about the Earth's MAGNETOSPHERE. Earth's magnetic field has weakened by 15 per cent over the last 200 yearsCould be a sign that the planet's north and south poles are about to flipIf this happens, solar winds could punch holes into the Earth's ozone layerThis could damage power grids, affect weather and increase cancer ratesEvidence of flip happening in the past has been uncovered in potteryAs the magnetic shield weakens, the spectacle of an aurora would be visible every night all over the Earth By Ellie Zolfagharifard Published: 12:38 GMT, 27 January 2014 | Updated: 17:25 GMT, 31 January 2014 Deep within the Earth, a fierce molten core is generating a magnetic field capable of defending our planet against devastating solar winds.
The protective field extends thousands of miles into space and its magnetism affects everything from global communication to animal migration and weather patterns. But this magnetic field, so important to life on Earth, has weakened by 15 per cent over the last 200 years. Dogs defecate in accordance with earth's magnetic field, research finds. For years, scientists have known that several species spontaneously align their bodies with the earth’s magnetic field when engaging in certain behaviours.
Now, a team of 12 scientists from universities in Germany and the Czech Republic have come together in a unique study that observed 37 breeds of dog over a two-year period. Exactly 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations later, the team reach one incredible finding: "dogs preferred to excrete with the body being aligned along the north–south axis". Before you grab your schnitzel and a clipboard, here's how the scientists work it out. Method In open fields, away from manmade structures and off the leash, the alignment of dogs’ spines was recorded using a hand-held compass.
The breed of the dog, its sex, age, body mass and condition were recorded as well as the date, time and location. We’ve included a sample of the male dogs' behaviour here. Results.