Earth's Magnetic Field: Does it Rotate?

AI Thread Summary
The Earth's magnetic field does not rotate in sync with its rotational axis, leading to a diurnal rotation of the magnetic field relative to an outside observer. The magnetic North and South poles are geographically fixed, causing the magnetic field to shift as the Earth rotates. While the magnetic field itself does not exhibit a consistent angular velocity, it can be described as rotating once per day due to the movement of its poles and features. This distinction highlights the difference between the Earth's physical rotation and the behavior of its magnetic field. Understanding this relationship is crucial for comprehending the dynamics of Earth's magnetism.
Buckethead
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Does the Earth's magnetic field rotate with the Earth? I am figuring it's stationary as a magnet that rotates through it's pole to pole axis does not exhibit a rotating magnetic field so why should the Earth.
 
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The Earth's magnetic field is not aligned with its rotation axis. The magnetic North and South poles are located at certain geographical points on the planet, and therefore there is a diurnal rotation of the magnetic field with respect to an outside observer.
 
That slipped my mind that they were not aligned (even though I knew that). So are you saying that the magnetic field rotates and if so, do you know how fast it rotates and why?
 
The magnetic poles, and all other significant features of the field move around the rotation axis once per day. I think it is reasonable to say "the magnetic field rotates once per day", even if there is no clear general way to assign an angular velocity to a changing magnetic field.
 

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