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South Atlantic Anomaly: Study Reveals Magnetic Pole ‘Wobble’ has been Growing for 1000 Years

posted by mrpg on Monday January 14 2019, @09:45PM   Printer-friendly
from the firsth-north-now-this dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

[...] At the heart of the matter, geologists believe, is a disturbance in the outer core of the Earth’s interior (2900km below the surface). This superheated pool of molten metal is what generates the magnetic field.

“If we look at our best numerical simulations of a magnetic field reversal, this is the type of pattern we see right before a reversal,” says Professor Tarduno. “We don’t know if the current (anomaly) will lead to a full reversal.”

If the anomaly continues to grow, a larger patch of near-orbit and our planet will become increasingly exposed to harmful rays and solar storms.

The last time Earth’s magnetic poles reversed was some 780,000 years ago.

South Atlantic Anomaly: Study reveals magnetic pole ‘wobble’ has been growing for 1000 years

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  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:21AM (5 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:21AM (#786748) Journal
    The magnetic field has flipped a bunch of times. If man could go extinct in the wild from a flip, it would have happened millions of years ago.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @03:21AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @03:21AM (#786772)

    I suspect this thread so far consists of mostly "gallows humor".

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:43PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:43PM (#786901)

      I suspect this thread so far consists of mostly "gallows khallow humor".

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 15 2019, @04:24PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 15 2019, @04:24PM (#786954) Journal

      I suspect this thread so far consists of mostly "gallows humor".

      Then where is the gallows? I doubt somehow that he thinks that a magnetic field reversal will just result in a few confused birds.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @03:37AM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 15 2019, @03:37AM (#786778)

    The magnetic field has flipped a bunch of times. If man could go extinct in the wild from a flip, it would have happened millions of years ago.

    We can't use the same argument about the energy infrastructure or electronics, though.
    Given their pervasiveness and role in the civilization, one may look into the effects. Or not.
    Very much like in the case of climate warming when you can relocate zillions a bit higher the mountain, so why worry? It's not like money grow in a tree and the civilization won't survive if we use money on things that have not yet happened, right?

    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:41PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday January 15 2019, @02:41PM (#786900) Journal

      We can't use the same argument about the energy infrastructure or electronics, though.

      True. There probably will be some sort of problem. And until we experience this effect, we'll never be sure what flaws we'll find.

      Very much like in the case of climate warming when you can relocate zillions a bit higher the mountain, so why worry? It's not like money grow in a tree and the civilization won't survive if we use money on things that have not yet happened, right?

      Indeed. I think the cases are quite similar. We have hyped problems with rather simple and relatively cheap adaptation to the problem (here, just replace infrastructure that breaks with more durable infrastructure - lather. rinse. repeat until the infrastructure stops breaking.). Meanwhile the Chicken Littles are ignoring all the other big problems we have in favor of their pet problem. Funny how they keep talking about the future while ignoring huge things that matter to the future.