In this article, the following questions are considered:
- A review of current research on geomagnetic polarity reversals in the Earth's past and their accompanying processes.
- The difficulties of monitoring the current processes, the insufficient amount of data collected and the difficulty in predicting the timing of the next geomagnetic polarity reversal.
- The idea of the "fulcrum" mechanism which can prevent the catastrophic consequences of a geomagnetic polarity reversal. It can make it possible to smoothly regulate the Earth's position to follow changes in the magnetic field.
Earth's Magnetic North Pole is Moving Closer to Russia and the Speed of its Displacement Increases
Since the 1830s, the north magnetic pole of Earth has relocated some 2,250 kilometers (1,400 miles) across the upper stretches of the Northern Hemisphere from Canada towards Siberia. The magnetic north pole’s travel seems to be accelerating too.
Between 1990 and 2005, the rate of pole movement increased from less than 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) per year to around 50 to 60 kilometers (31 to 37 miles) per year,
according to a 2020 study. If it continues at this pace, the north magnetic pole will travel up to 660 kilometers (410 miles) toward Siberia over the next decade.
The effect is so profound that scientists at the British Geological Survey (BGS) have previously said that all compasses will “probably point eastward of true north” by 2040. (1)
On the other side of the planet, Earth’s south magnetic pole also appears to be on the move, drifting eastwards over Antarctica's coast.
Geomagnetic Polarity Reversals and Geomagnetic Excursions
The Earth’s geomagnetic field is vital for us. While invisible, this protective shield has allowed life to evolve on Earth and has set the conditions for the creation of advanced human civilizations. Without a strong and active magnetic field, the Earth would be an analog to Mars. As such, understanding the dynamics, mechanisms and future behavior of the geodynamo should be a priority.
Despite huge advancements in
technology over the last several hundred years, there is much regarding the
Earth system that geoscientists do not know. The first and most important acknowledgment concerns reversal timeframes
and frequency of occurrence. Research has shown that reversals can complete in
as little as 100 years or take as long as several thousand years. (2) There is no
standard or “normal” polarity reversal, with no two-reversal events being
identical in duration due to the periodic and unpredictable nature of the
Earth’s geodynamo. During the Earth’s history, there have been periods of high
reversal frequency, as that seen during the last 40 million years, and periods
where the field remained stable, as during the Cretacious
superchron.
The second acknowledgment is that there is no way to predict a polarity reversal. The technology needed for prediction does not exist, and current measurement systems are passive, in that they only record the strength of the field. Geologists studying reversals are hampered by the time frame of accurate field measurements as well, which go back 400 years and represent less than 0.0001% of the overall age of the Earth at 4.6 billion years old (3).
The issue is complicated further by the inability to access the interior of the Earth, and other geoscientists must interpret seismic waves to build a picture of the Earth’s interior. While new methods in seismic tomography have created detailed views of the Earth’s interior down to the core-mantle boundary, none have mapped the inner and outer core to the degree needed to confirm the geodynamo theory. Scientific knowledge and technological capabilities limit geologists from being able to predict the next geomagnetic polarity reversal. But the question nevertheless remains relevant and open:
When will the next Pole Reversal Occur?
There is strong evidence suggesting that a transition may be underway, with magnetic field strength levels during the last 150-200 years dropping by a significant 15 percent. (4) Measurements made since the invention of the compass have shown strength levels falling by an astounding 40% over 400 years (5). Field strength measurements made by ESA’s SWARM satellite array add to this building picture of changes in the Earth’s core, with data showing the rate of change is occurring ten times faster than previously calculated. These changes are a precursor to a common geological phenomenon known as a geomagnetic polarity reversal, where the north and south magnetic poles of the Earth reverse. Geomagnetic polarity reversals significantly decrease the strength of the magnetic field, thereby considerably increasing the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere. If the weakening trend continues accelerating, and the field reverses in the same manner as the Matuyama-Brunhes transition (6), the Earth could see a flip in a human lifetime.
 |
| Computer simulation depicting Geomagnetic Pole Reversal. Frame 1 is before the reversal, frame 2 is during the reversal, and frame 3 is after the reversal. Note the tangled and complex nature of the magnetic field in frame 2. Reprinted from Astronomy.com, http://www.astronomy.com/-/media/import/images/8/3/0/july-2010-earth_s-magnetic-.jpg |
Polarity Reversal Impacts
Pole reversals create two changes to the Earth system: 1) a decrease in geomagnetic field strength, and 2) an increase in radiation entering the atmosphere and biosphere. While there are other possible impacts to include links between reversals, worldwide volcanism, and mass extinctions, they are not included due to the contentious nature of the findings.
The next geomagnetic polarity reversal could impact the following six major areas, and this is by no means an all-inclusive list.
1. Communication Systems
2. Satellite Constellations
3. Electrical Power Grid
4. Agriculture and the Food Chain
5. Economic Infrastructure
6. Response Preparedness (7)
Even with knowledge of the rapid weakening of the magnetic field and the hazards posed by solar weather, the USGS and geoscientists remain unable to adequately predict the behavior of the magnetosphere. The only two large-scale geomagnetism monitoring programs, the USGS’s Geomagnetism Monitoring Program and ESA’s SWARM satellite constellation, only record field strength with no ability to predict the future behavior of the geodynamo. Computer systems are simply not fast enough to simulate and model all the necessary variables to predict the future behavior of the Earth’s core. Geologists can only look back at the last 400 years of accurate measurements, and attempt to predict the future behavior of the magnetic field. Without prediction capabilities, geoscientists will be unable to say if the current weakening trend in the magnetosphere is a precursor to a pole reversal or a geomagnetic excursion. (7)
The ongoing processes on the Earth as a whole continue to be unpredictable, complex and dynamic. Attributing climate warming solely to human activity, while disregarding other significant objective causes and ignoring extensive research that demonstrates the periodicity and cyclicality of climate changing throughout Earth's long history, is overly one-sided and unscientific. The fact that geologists are still unable to predict volcanoes, earthquakes and the behavior of the geodynamo indicates there is much about the Earth system scientists do not understand.
According to a new research, published in Science in Februar 2021, a reversal of the Earth’s magnetic poles about 42,000 years ago triggered massive climate shifts and caused environmental changes to sweep across the globe (8).
"This last major geomagnetic reversal triggered a series of dramatic events that have far-reaching consequences for our planet. They read like the plot of a horror movie: the ozone layer was destroyed, electrical storms raged across the tropics, solar winds generated spectacular light shows (auroras), Arctic air poured across North America, ice sheets and glaciers surged and weather patterns shifted violently.
During these events, life on earth was exposed to intense ultraviolet light, Neanderthals and giant animals known as megafauna went extinct, while humans sought protection in caves…
One of the most dramatic of these pole migrations took place some 42,000 years ago and is known as the Laschamps Excursion – named after the village where it was discovered in the French Massif Central. But up until now, it has not been clear whether such magnetic changes had any impacts on climate and life on the planet. Our new work draws together multiple lines of evidence that strongly suggest the effects were indeed global and far-reaching.» (8)
Most previous research
had focused on what happened during the reversal, when the magnetic field was
reduced to 28% of its current strength. But this study reveals the most
dramatic impacts occurred into the lead-up to the reversal, when the field
dropped to 0–6% of its current strength.
"We essentially had no magnetic field at all – our cosmic radiation shield was totally gone,” Prof. Chris Turney explains, "This left the planet vulnerable to solar flares and cosmic rays. Unfiltered radiation from space ripped apart air particles in Earth’s atmosphere, separating electrons and emitting light – a process called ionisation. The ionised air ‘fried’ the ozone layer, triggering a ripple of climate change across the globe.”
The timing also coincides with the appearance of figurative cave art. The researchers suggest that increased UV radiation from a weak magnetic field may have driven humans to seek more shelter. (9)
Over the past 170 years, the Earth’s magnetic field has weakened by around 9%, leading scientists to speculate that a reversal might be imminent. Increased exposure to solar storms and other cosmic radiation could be devastating to our satellites and electrical infrastructure – and Turney warns it could be devastating to the climate, too.
“Our atmosphere is already filled with carbon at levels never seen by humanity before,” he says. “A magnetic pole reversal or extreme change in Sun activity would be unprecedented climate change accelerants.” (9)
A large number of other studies and theories are being published, but none of them offer concrete solutions, instead merely presenting a collection of disparate interpretations of the facts.
As early as 2015, a research report: "Catastrophic Polarity Reversal: Is U.S. National Security Prepared for the Next Geomagnetic Pole Change?" presented at the Aviation University of Alabama (USA) stated: "The government has done nothing to investigate and prepare for the next geomagnetic inversion, despite accumulating evidence that a reversal could occur in the near future." (9)
The Fulcrum Mechanism
The idea for solving the problem was presented in Russia in 2017 in the form of a theoretical development of a "fulcrum" mechanism, that would help the planet to be turned in the direction of the outgoing magnetic field, which shifted the Earth's axis. (10) Scientists attending the presentation confirmed the feasibility of creating a prototype; however, the project was blocked by higher-ranking officials.
Since then, there have continued to accumulate, facts of changes in the Earth's core, geomagnetic field, and other associated factors preceding the magnetic inversion. Therefore, it is time to review the development, convene a scientific commission, and consider the expediency of creating a prototype in order to have time to build such a device through joint efforts of different countries. (10)
References
(6) Leonardo Sagnotti, Giancarlo Scardia, Biagio Giaccio, Joseph C. Liddicoat, Sebastien Nomade, Paul R. Renne, Courtney J. Sprain, "Extremely rapid directional change during Matuyama-Brunhes geomagnetic polarity reversal". Geophysical Journal International, Volume 199, Issue 2, November 2014, Pages 1110–1124
https://academic.oup.com/gji/article/199/2/1110/618671
(7) Tyler J. Williams, Captain, USAF. Cataclysmic Polarity Shift: Is U.S. National Security Prepared For The Next Geomagnetic Pole Reversal? Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, December 2015.
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1040918.pdf
(8) Alan Cooper, Chris S. M. Turney, Jonathan Palmer, Alan Hogg, Matt McGlone, Janet Wilmshurst, Andrew M. Lorrey, Timothy J. Heaton, James M. Russell and 24 authors. "A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago", Science,
We allow free copying and distribution of our materials and information from our sources, provided that our links are given.
A related article:
A related video:
In this article, the following questions are considered:
Pole reversals create two changes to the Earth system: 1) a decrease in geomagnetic field strength, and 2) an increase in radiation entering the atmosphere and biosphere. While there are other possible impacts to include links between reversals, worldwide volcanism, and mass extinctions, they are not included due to the contentious nature of the findings.%20(1).gif)