Is there a chance of a “flip flop” reversal in the earth’s magnetic poles? Scientists have noticed some changes in the earth’s magnetic field suggesting a pole reversal could happen any day now – well, in the next 2,000 years. But if this happens, how will it affect life on earth?
How will the polar magnetic influence weather patterns? Will this reversal affect the harmony caused by the sun’s and earth’s current electro-magnectic fields?
Tesla’s energy dreams harvested?
The earth’s electro-magmetic fields, and their effect on electricity and communications were important aspects to theories and work carried out by the Serbian-American electrical engineer Nikola Tesla.
Tesla believed in the possibility of obtaining ‘free electricity’ by harnessing the earth’s electro-magnetic fields.
A magnetic pole reversal is not a common event; with the last significant one estimated to have occurred around 780,000 years ago, according to Scientific American.
Geophysicists who study such phenomena now say that a magnetic polar flip flop could occur sooner than previously thought. What effect this could have on communications and electrical power grids would not really be known since the time frame involved for this event to occur could be anywhere from now to as long as 20,000 years. Still, the earth’s magnetic field is said to be weakening 10 times faster than previously thought; with the present magnetic north said to be moving somewhere over the Russian province of Siberia.
Leveled by liquid iron core
Scientists say that the earth’s own magnetic field is the result of a layer of liquid iron near the earth’s solid iron core. This layer, when moving, causes the planet to act like a large dipole magnet (photo above) with opposite north and south poles.
Such magnets were often used in electrical devices like traditional TV sets, with the harmony created by the two poles resulting in the TV picture’s size and clarity.
Large dipole magnets are also used in accelerator physics to realize bends in the design trajectory or ‘orbit’ of particles, as in circular accelerators. In this way, our planet can be looked at as being one large dipole magnet with opposite north and south poles. The reversal of these poles could have significant influences on current electro-communications systems, especially large electric grids.
Dr. Gary Glatzmaier, a geophysicist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, says that this kind of occurrence is not something to worry about; due to how long it will take this phenomenon to occur. “Similar to a hurricane, you can’t predict [exactly] when or where a reversal will start, even though you understand the basic physics,” says Glatzmair. He adds that by the time this would happen, human technology will be at a point where the effects of it would be minimal on people. “By then, humans almost certainly will have the technology to cope with a magnetic-field reversal,” says Glatzmair.
We should feel better already.
Read more on the earth’s magnetic fields, and polar climatic influence:
Climate Change “worst” is yet to come U.N. report warns today
Will the Polar Vortex “Dip” freeze the Middle East?
Were Tesla’s Solar Innovations “Buried” by Big Oil?
Photo of large Dipole magnet by wikipedia
