Most Recent Changes in Earth's Magnetic Field; Sources Analyzed

[Dotini]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140620115751.htm
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Swarm/Swarm_reveals_Earth_s_changing_magnetism

The first set of high-resolution results from ESA's three-satellite Swarm constellation reveals the most recent changes in the magnetic field that protects our planet.

Launched in November 2013, Swarm is providing unprecedented insights into the complex workings of Earth's magnetic field, which safeguards us from the bombarding cosmic radiation and charged particles.

Measurements made over the past six months confirm the general trend of the field's weakening, with the most dramatic declines over the Western Hemisphere.

But in other areas, such as the southern Indian Ocean, the magnetic field has strengthened since January.

The latest measurements also confirm the movement of magnetic North towards Siberia.

These changes are based on the magnetic signals stemming from Earth's core. Over the coming months, scientists will analyse the data to unravel the magnetic contributions from other sources, namely the mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere and magnetosphere.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

So not only will people be affected by changing climates, but also magnetic fields? Life is going to get real tough for some people.

 

[billiards]

Perhaps the title should read:

"Most Recent Changes in Earth's Magnetic Field; Sources to be[\b] Analyzed."

 

[Dotini]

So not only will people be affected by changing climates, but also magnetic fields? Life is going to get real tough for some people.

Increased odds of power grid disruption would appear to be the main concern. http://www.scientificamerican.com/a...field-flip-could-happen-sooner-than-expected/
Here is a sobering warning from NASA: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/23jul_superstorm/

 

[edward]

Increased odds of power grid disruption would appear to be the main concern. http://www.scientificamerican.com/a...field-flip-could-happen-sooner-than-expected/
Here is a sobering warning from NASA: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/23jul_superstorm/

Here is a video on the near miss in 2012. We dodged the bullet by just one week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukQhycKOFw

 

[jim hardy]

"A major solar eruptive event in July 2012," describes how a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) tore through Earth orbit on July 23, 2012. Fortunately Earth wasn't there. Instead, the storm cloud hit the STEREO-A spacecraft .

it seems not to have hurt the spacecraft . i remain skeptical about the doomsayers.

 

[Evo]

No tv, no internet! No texting! But seriously, we are so dependent on electronics that we need to try to figure out a contingency plan on a large scale, although the chance of a major CME hitting Earth is only estimated at 12% according to the NASA article.

I agree Jim.

Good article here http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmac...-the-huge-solar-flare-that-just-missed-earth/

 

[jim hardy]

Thanks Evo - that's a good article.

By the way, that event — known as the Carrington event — did not vaporize any people, animals or planets, but it did do damage to telegraph lines and create some epic northern lights as far south as Tahiti.

Telegraphy back then was single wire and i don't think they had lightning protection, perhaps some history buff knows better.

I have Missouri heritage - "show me".

 

[edward]

it seems not to have hurt the spacecraft . i remain skeptical about the doomsayers.

I have been wondering about that. Since the spacecraft is there to study the sun, it may be packed full of tinfoil hats to protect it.

 

[davenn]

Yeah, I read that article myself a day or two before it was posted here
I couldn't believe the totally overhyped comments about the "earth being destroyed" blah, blah, blah
there is so much garbage media reporting out there

By the way, that event — known as the Carrington event — did not vaporize any people, animals or planets, but it did do damage to telegraph lines and create some epic northern lights as far south as Tahiti.

no, that's more likely to be the "southern lights" Aurora Australis reaching north to Tahiti

Much more likely than the nthrn aurora going south of the equator Dave

 

[Dotini]

But seriously, we are so dependent on electronics that we need to try to figure out a contingency plan on a large scale, although the chance of a major CME hitting Earth is only estimated at 12% according to the NASA article.

That would be 12% over the next 10 years, based on an extrapolation of the previous 50 years. But according to the OP, the protective magnetic field over North America is declining at a rate 10 times faster than previously. This for unknown reasons which the ESA Swarm effort is attempting to investigate.

But I do agree it's easy and certainly jolly good fun to blow this all off with talk of doomsayers and tinfoil hats. Particularly since there's nothing that can be done about it short of making expensive preparations for something that may never happen - or may happen over some other continent and not here. A contingency plan on a large scale might consist of repatriating the manufacture and stockpiling of large transformers to North America, or even reducing our reliance on continental length high tension power lines so vulnerable to ground currents. But this runs counter to current economic and industrial policy.

Personally - as opposed to the collective large scale - I'm more interested in the science involved than the economics, engineering or social questions. I will be making absolutely no preparations to lay in food or batteries at my home or fishing cabin, relying instead on my wine cellar. But I will follow developments from ESA Swarm for their academic interest.

 

[Evo]

Dotini, the field is strengthening elsewhere. I have posted about this before and not up to posting about it again. The 'flip' when it comes, some time in the next 1,000 years, will not be everywhere at once. So settle down