Anomalies hint at magnetic pole flip

New Scientist ^ | 10 April 02 | Nicola Jones

[Orual]

What would be the result if this happens? Bad things?

They used data from the Ørsted

All / will become \, and all \ will become...

[Argh]

Heads, I think Robt. lives in Georgia. If Mr. Burns can move the North Pole only to Georgia, and we can get Gretzsky to move from the Coyotes to the Thrashers, then you and I will be able to ask Robert how HE likes it, for a change.

[Argh]

That should be "Gretzky", look what you've done to me you evil Robt.

[jumpstartme]

Time to submit to the big magnet in the sky.

[d4now]

I really didn't need this today.

[dighton]

They used data from the Ørsted .... All / will become \, and all \ will become...

Hmmmm, we may find sex reversal amongst møøses.

[Orual]

Hmmmm, we may find sex reversal amongst møøses.

Ø ø - Pronounced "uh" - u in hurt

[Icthus]

"We can't really tell what will happen," says Hulot. "But we speculate that we're in an unusual situation that might be related to a reversal."

We think you're speculating alright.....

[Maelstrom]

Cut it out...someone might believe you. The Coriolis effect(which way the water spins in your toilet) has nothing to do with which way is north.

[dighton]

I've been hørt, hørt, hørt
Yes, I've been hørt.

[apochromat]

What would be the result if this happens?

Lawyers will make money.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"Nah. Just that your bathwater will swirl the other way when it goes down the drain. "

That has to do with the Earth's rotation and nothing to do with the Earth's magnetic field.
But, you probably already knew that.

[SauronOfMordor]

What would be the result if this happens? Bad things?

Compasses would not work very well during the shift, which most people would not care about since we use GPS nowadays

More important, though, would be the effect on migratory birds, who seem to be able to directly sense the earth's magnetic field, and use it for navigation. See article

[Mr. K]

A moose once bit my magnetic pole.

[sneakypete]

Now, all we got to do is outlaw those darned pesky SUV's and this problem will go away!

WRONG! It's all the fault of second-hand smoke! Then again,second-hand smoke has been said to cause SUV's. Even STD's.

[Jefferson Adams]

Will then, uh, 6 - turn out to be 9? I don't mind - I don't mind.

[Jefferson Adams]

Nothing will stick to your refrigerator.

LOL - biggest smile I've gotten all day.

[PoisedWoman]

OMG, Latin Americans will roll downhill to California. Are they sure the poles didn't shift already?

[SauronOfMordor]

, this would involve the temporary (few generation) disappearance of the Van Allen Belts that protect from cosmic radiation. We would receive about the same level of radiation as the astronauts on the moon. Suntanning would be out, going outside much will be out. Cancer and mutations will be way up.

The fossil record points to various periods with high rates of species extinctions, along with rapid evolution of other species. This might account for some of that

[Bronco Buster]

In particular, one large patch under South Africa is pointing in the opposite direction from the rest of the Earth's field and has been growing for hundreds of years.

The anomalies have already reduced the overall strength of the planet's magnetic field by about 10 per cent. If they continue to grow at the same rate, the Earth's dipole will disappear within just two millennia.

Too bad there is not more hard data on this anomaly. Assuming this analysis is correct and the earth will lose the remaining 90% over 200 years, then because of the emergence of the South Africa magnetic anomaly, the magnetic pole is losing potency at 9% every 20 years or 4.5% every 10 years.

At some point, this would have to have major consequences on the weather and possibly on the temperature of the ocean. I read somewhere that even several degrees increase in the earth's water tempartures could cause catastrophic meltdown of many of the huge icebergs that there are, and raise the water level everywhere.

At the point where this would have worldwide consequences, the only thing humanity could do is take defensive moves to ensure our continued survival and prosperity. Very interesting article.