Historical Magnetic Declination Map

[freeradical]

There are no reversals on this map; it only goes back to 1592. It's still pretty cool though. Magnetic reversals are of course part of the evidence in support of sea floor spreading. Wouldn't it be neat if we were to have a magnetic reversal in our lifetimes?

https://maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/viewers/histo...clination/

[michaelb]

Not my area of expertise, but are you joking about the "neat" part? I didn't think the reversal would happen quickly, but instead take many years, and we would not be adequately protected from the bombardment of cosmic rays during that transition.

[OWC Jamie]

an interesting study is the correlation(s) between dip pole position movement (rate of change) , geothermal activity and the temperature of the earth's surface.

[OWC Jamie]

michaelb wrote:
Not my area of expertise, but are you joking about the "neat" part? I didn't think the reversal would happen quickly, but instead take many years, and we would not be adequately protected from the bombardment of cosmic rays during that transition.

Not my area of expertise either but it is theorized that reversals do not happen suddenly and that while we do have geological records of magnetic field changes we don't have records of mass mutations, which, barring the earth's continuing spinning and generating a magnetic field there isn't much evidence to prove that the earth has ever gone without a magnetic field of some sort and therefore has always maintained a minimum of protection.

[Paul F.]

Interesting that it shows a much accelerated northwards movement of the North Magnetic Pole... so much so that it zoomed completely off the map in 2011.

And though it would be intellectually interesting, I think there are enough negative consequences to the decades (?) long interruption of the magnetic poles during a reversal that it would be better if we did not witness it first hand.

I'm not a doom and gloom pessimist about what would happen if it DID, but I'm not that eager to have it happen in my lifetime.

[OWC Jamie]

I say we fund some "scientists" to find a way to blame it on global warming so we can raise taxes to stop it and make a few bucks off it along the way.

[freeradical]

Paul F. wrote:
Interesting that it shows a much accelerated northwards movement of the North Magnetic Pole... so much so that it zoomed completely off the map in 2011.

That has to do with the map projection that is being used.

Greenland is not bigger than Africa.

:-)

[pdq]

Wow. In the 1800's it was barely north of Hudson Bay.

[Lew Zealand]

michaelb wrote:
Not my area of expertise, but are you joking about the "neat" part? I didn't think the reversal would happen quickly, but instead take many years, and we would not be adequately protected from the bombardment of cosmic rays during that transition.

It'll take a little off the top of the atmosphere but seeing as it's happened dozens of times in the past, it doesn't look to be too much of a concern for animal and plant life.

However it will protect us less from CMEs and solar storms so our electronics infrastructure could be seriously or catastrophically affected if one of those happens.

But that information comes from scientists so who can believe them, right? I mean WTF does education and expertise mean when everyone thinks ignorance and self-importance are all that matters.

[Paul F.]

freeradical wrote:
[quote=Paul F.]
Interesting that it shows a much accelerated northwards movement of the North Magnetic Pole... so much so that it zoomed completely off the map in 2011.

That has to do with the map projection that is being used.

Greenland is not bigger than Africa.

:-)
Scale wise, sure... but they trimmed the map off in the wrong spot, apparently! ;-)