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If you move a magnet towards a loop of wire it will generate a current in that wire. Could a reversal of the Earth's magnetic field be sudden enough to cause significant damage to the Earth's power grid?
Well at least you did some thinking.
If I interpret it correctly you assume that the Earth rotation is causing differential rotation in the fluid core which is supposed to generate the Earth magnetic field. I think that there may be a problem when the magnetic field reverses, which has happened numerous times in the past, without that construction changing accordingly.
Obviously nobody knows exactly what is happening but there are other ideas that seem to be consistent with the observations.
http://www.mala.bc.ca/~earles/reversals.htm
http://www.psc.edu/science/glatzmaier.html
Mk said:No, it takes at least a thousand years, but some have been found to take several hundreds.
michaelbix said:...
If one would like to know what to be concerned about in such an event, I don't believe it is the power grid. In the absence of a coherent magnetic field (there will always be some kind of a field as long as the Earth spins) the Van Allen belts will disappear, and with them the usual protection surface life has against solar ejecta, cosmic rays and the other constituents of the solar wind. The magnetic field (magnetosphere) acts like a shield, bending the solar wind around the earth. In its absence, we will be buffeted by high-energy radiation that will sizzle our cells... and those of every living plant and animal not separated by at least 20' of rock or 100' of water... with damaging, mutation-causing (and probably lethal) effect. The effect lessens toward the poles, but pity all species south of latitude 45 or 50.
Andre said:Well, a lot about magnetic isochrons and reversals here:
http://magician.ucsd.edu/sio247/lectures/html/lecture15/lecture15.html
"It's not that there is any known relationship between clear geologic events and magnetic reversal. Note that we also have had several Paleomagnetic excursions (PME) that seem to behave like an incipient reversal."
Thanks Andre,
That was a good overview of the current terminology and summaries of key research. I don't know how to determine if there are any studies underway (or planned) that would take a species (ie. epihippus) and plot its evolutionary path in conjunction with chrons and subchron events... there are too many uncertainties, perhaps. I'm primarily working in Bronze and Iron Age north Atlantic prehistory and am trying to keep my eye on factors which may have stressed human and mammal populations in the past 20k years or so (and which may do so again).
In that regard, for instance, I'm curious about why all the horses and horse-derived species that had evolved in North and South America disappeared abruptly from the east side of the Atlantic about 11,000 BC. Probably not a magnetic event, given what I read here. But that's why I'm trying to derive useful information (to my investigations) from a thread like this - as magnetic field events, solar storms and related solar system phenomena had effects upon pre-technological societies as well as modern ones. As I said, sorry I come in as such a generalist.
Earth's magnetic field reversal is a process in which the magnetic poles of the Earth switch places, causing a complete reversal of the magnetic field. This process has occurred multiple times throughout Earth's history and can have significant impacts on the planet.
During a magnetic field reversal, the strength of Earth's magnetic field decreases and can cause disruptions in the power grid. This is because the magnetic field helps protect the Earth from solar winds and other cosmic radiation that can interfere with power lines and electrical equipment.
Yes, a magnetic field reversal can cause power outages. As mentioned earlier, the weakening of Earth's magnetic field during a reversal can lead to disruptions in the power grid, potentially causing power outages in affected areas.
Magnetic field reversals occur irregularly, with the last reversal happening around 780,000 years ago. The frequency of reversals is unpredictable, but scientists estimate that they occur about every 200,000 to 300,000 years.
Aside from potential disruptions to the power grid, a magnetic field reversal can also have impacts on animal navigation, satellite operations, and even climate change. Additionally, a weaker magnetic field during a reversal may also lead to higher levels of radiation exposure for astronauts and airline passengers.