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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Magnetic Field Is Weakening
()
Date: July 10, 2014 08:26AM
Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
http://news.yahoo.com/earths-magnetic-field-weakening-10-times-faster-now-121247349.html
Earth's magnetic field, which protects the planet from huge blasts of deadly solar radiation, has been weakening over the past six months, according to data collected by a European Space Agency (ESA) satellite array called Swarm.
The biggest weak spots in the magnetic field — which extends 370,000 miles (600,000 kilometers) above the planet's surface — have sprung up over the Western Hemisphere, while the field has strengthened over areas like the southern Indian Ocean, according to the magnetometers onboard the Swarm satellites — three separate satellites floating in tandem.
The scientists who conducted the study are still unsure why the magnetic field is weakening, but one likely reason is that Earth's magnetic poles are getting ready to flip, said Rune Floberghagen, the ESA's Swarm mission manager. In fact, the data suggest magnetic north is moving toward Siberia.
"Such a flip is not instantaneous, but would take many hundred if not a few thousand years," Floberghagen told Live Science. "They have happened many times in the past."[50 Amazing Facts About Planet Earth]
Scientists already know that magnetic north shifts. Once every few hundred thousand years the magnetic poles flip so that a compass would point south instead of north. While changes in magnetic field strength are part of this normal flipping cycle, data from Swarm have shown the field is starting to weaken faster than in the past. Previously, researchers estimated the field was weakening about 5 percent per century, but the new data revealed the field is actually weakening at 5 percent per decade, or 10 times faster than thought. As such, rather than the full flip occurring in about 2,000 years, as was predicted, the new data suggest it could happen sooner.
Floberghagen hopes that more data from Swarm will shed light on why the field is weakening faster now.
..View gallery
Changes measured by the Swarm satellite over the past 6 months shows that Earth's magnetic field …
Still, there is no evidence that a weakened magnetic field would result in a doomsday for Earth. During past polarity flips there were no mass extinctions or evidence of radiation damage. Researchers think power grids and communication systems would be most at risk.
Earth's magnetic field acts like a giant invisible bubble that shields the planet from the dangerous cosmic radiation spewing from the sun in the form of solar winds. The field exists because Earth has a giant ball of iron at its core surrounded by an outer layer of molten metal. Changes in the core's temperature and Earth's rotation boil and swirl the liquid metal around in the outer core, creating magnetic field lines.
The movement of the molten metal is why some areas of the magnetic field strengthen while others weaken, Florberghagen said. When the boiling in one area of the outer core slows down, fewer currents of charged particles are released, and the magnetic field over the surface weakens.
"The flow of the liquid outer core almost pulls the magnetic field around with it," Floberghagen said. "So, a field weakening over the American continent would mean that the flow in the outer core below America is slowing down."
The Swarm satellites not only pick up signals coming from the Earth's magnetic field, but also from its core, mantle, crust and oceans. Scientists at the ESA hope to use the data to make navigation systems that rely on the magnetic field, such as aircraft instruments, more accurate, improve earthquake predictions and pinpoint areas below the planet's surface that are rich in natural resources. Scientists think fluctuations in the magnetic field could help identify where continental plates are shifting and help predict earthquakes.
These first results from Swarm were presented at the Third Swarm Science Meeting in Denmark on June 19.
Earth's magnetic field connects the North Pole (orange lines) with the South Pole (blue lines) in this NASA-created image.
Attachments:
http://news.yahoo.com/earths-magnetic-field-weakening-10-times-faster-now-121247349.html
Earth's magnetic field, which protects the planet from huge blasts of deadly solar radiation, has been weakening over the past six months, according to data collected by a European Space Agency (ESA) satellite array called Swarm.
The biggest weak spots in the magnetic field — which extends 370,000 miles (600,000 kilometers) above the planet's surface — have sprung up over the Western Hemisphere, while the field has strengthened over areas like the southern Indian Ocean, according to the magnetometers onboard the Swarm satellites — three separate satellites floating in tandem.
The scientists who conducted the study are still unsure why the magnetic field is weakening, but one likely reason is that Earth's magnetic poles are getting ready to flip, said Rune Floberghagen, the ESA's Swarm mission manager. In fact, the data suggest magnetic north is moving toward Siberia.
"Such a flip is not instantaneous, but would take many hundred if not a few thousand years," Floberghagen told Live Science. "They have happened many times in the past."[50 Amazing Facts About Planet Earth]
Scientists already know that magnetic north shifts. Once every few hundred thousand years the magnetic poles flip so that a compass would point south instead of north. While changes in magnetic field strength are part of this normal flipping cycle, data from Swarm have shown the field is starting to weaken faster than in the past. Previously, researchers estimated the field was weakening about 5 percent per century, but the new data revealed the field is actually weakening at 5 percent per decade, or 10 times faster than thought. As such, rather than the full flip occurring in about 2,000 years, as was predicted, the new data suggest it could happen sooner.
Floberghagen hopes that more data from Swarm will shed light on why the field is weakening faster now.
..View gallery
Changes measured by the Swarm satellite over the past 6 months shows that Earth's magnetic field …
Still, there is no evidence that a weakened magnetic field would result in a doomsday for Earth. During past polarity flips there were no mass extinctions or evidence of radiation damage. Researchers think power grids and communication systems would be most at risk.
Earth's magnetic field acts like a giant invisible bubble that shields the planet from the dangerous cosmic radiation spewing from the sun in the form of solar winds. The field exists because Earth has a giant ball of iron at its core surrounded by an outer layer of molten metal. Changes in the core's temperature and Earth's rotation boil and swirl the liquid metal around in the outer core, creating magnetic field lines.
The movement of the molten metal is why some areas of the magnetic field strengthen while others weaken, Florberghagen said. When the boiling in one area of the outer core slows down, fewer currents of charged particles are released, and the magnetic field over the surface weakens.
"The flow of the liquid outer core almost pulls the magnetic field around with it," Floberghagen said. "So, a field weakening over the American continent would mean that the flow in the outer core below America is slowing down."
The Swarm satellites not only pick up signals coming from the Earth's magnetic field, but also from its core, mantle, crust and oceans. Scientists at the ESA hope to use the data to make navigation systems that rely on the magnetic field, such as aircraft instruments, more accurate, improve earthquake predictions and pinpoint areas below the planet's surface that are rich in natural resources. Scientists think fluctuations in the magnetic field could help identify where continental plates are shifting and help predict earthquakes.
These first results from Swarm were presented at the Third Swarm Science Meeting in Denmark on June 19.
Earth's magnetic field connects the North Pole (orange lines) with the South Pole (blue lines) in this NASA-created image.
Attachments:
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Diehard Lib
()
Date: July 10, 2014 08:32AM
Sounds like we're going to have to raise taxes and eliminate individual rights. There's no other way to deal with this!
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Celebrate Change
()
Date: July 10, 2014 09:04AM
Magnetic Field Is Weakening Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Still, there is no evidence that a weakened
> magnetic field would result in a doomsday for
> Earth. During past polarity flips there were no
> mass extinctions or evidence of radiation damage.
> Researchers think power grids and communication
> systems would be most at risk.
This is a relief!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Still, there is no evidence that a weakened
> magnetic field would result in a doomsday for
> Earth. During past polarity flips there were no
> mass extinctions or evidence of radiation damage.
> Researchers think power grids and communication
> systems would be most at risk.
This is a relief!
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
The skyy is falling
()
Date: July 10, 2014 10:08AM
I'm unilaterally implementing a "commonsense" solution. I'm appointing a Magnet Czar with unlimited budget and direct access to the Oval Office and ordering the EPA to begin direct taxation of all corporations and households, amount to be determined by political loyalty. I'm starting a dialogue with all of our allies--of which there are none left--and will urge them not to crow too much about getting all the jobs that I'm destroying here in America. Then I will go out and play golf and plan for my lucrative retirement, since, like Hillary, I won't be "truly wealthy" until I can compare yacht length with my billionaire friends.
Sincerely,
Czar, I mean President, Obama
Sincerely,
Czar, I mean President, Obama
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
7Jcp3
()
Date: July 10, 2014 12:24PM
was al gore pushing for more extreme data to get funding on this ?
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
quick
()
Date: July 10, 2014 12:26PM
fire up the unobtanium plant!!!
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Astrofissics
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:11PM
Is Uranus weakening?
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Libby Tard
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:28PM
Stop Global Pole Change NOW!
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Ignorant People shouldn't commen
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:37PM
Seriously, some of you are too stupid to even understand 85% of the crap that is talked about in the article. Go be immature somewhere else.
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
mirror mirror
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:41PM
Ignorant People shouldn't commen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Seriously, some of you are too stupid to even
> understand 85% of the crap that is talked about in
> the article. Go be immature somewhere else.
That you think this is some kind of deep article actualy says more about you.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Seriously, some of you are too stupid to even
> understand 85% of the crap that is talked about in
> the article. Go be immature somewhere else.
That you think this is some kind of deep article actualy says more about you.
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
In all seriousness...
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:44PM
With these alleged changes in the articles, what does this mean for human life on Earth?
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
himm34
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:46PM
mirror mirror Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ignorant People shouldn't commen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Seriously, some of you are too stupid to even
> > understand 85% of the crap that is talked about
> in
> > the article. Go be immature somewhere else.
>
>
> That you think this is some kind of deep article
> actualy says more about you.
That they expect rational comments on this site is even more mind boggling.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ignorant People shouldn't commen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Seriously, some of you are too stupid to even
> > understand 85% of the crap that is talked about
> in
> > the article. Go be immature somewhere else.
>
>
> That you think this is some kind of deep article
> actualy says more about you.
That they expect rational comments on this site is even more mind boggling.
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
RFK Jr. (also known as Dipshit)
()
Date: July 10, 2014 01:57PM
I blame Bush because he didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
KnkeG
()
Date: July 10, 2014 02:07PM
I have many rare earth magnets surrounding my entire room. This event will not affect me in any way because I took measures years ago to create my own magnetic field. You guys suck.
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Del. Eleanor Holmes-Norton
()
Date: July 10, 2014 02:21PM
Should I bees carryin' rocks in my pockets? Don't wants to be flyin' off da Eart.
Re: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now
Posted by:
Earth Worshipper
()
Date: July 10, 2014 03:03PM
I wear copper bracelets that simultaneously absorb and deflect magnetic fields from my body, so I'm pretty much immune to these concerns.