An interesting discovery about the Earth in the past years shows that the magnetic poles have flipped 183 times in the last 83 million years. Currently, there are rapid changes to our planet's magnetic fields.
The Flip
Geomagnetic reversal is what the scientists call the magnetic poles flipping. The last one took place 780,000 years ago, and it will take between 2,000 and 7,000 years for the poles to reverse.
(Photo : by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
WIGAN, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Luke Jerram's 'Floating Earth' is seen at Pennington Flash on November 23, 2021 in Wigan, England. The floating Earth will hover over Pennington Flash for 10 days from November 19, as part of a celebration of Wigan and Leigh's watercourses and is the first time one of Jerram's globes has been floated on an open expanse of water.
The evidence is in magnetic minerals that are found inside rocks, which hold the strength and direction of the Earth's magnetic fields when locked in place either as sediments or magma.
Currently, there is the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) in the South Atlantic region, which is quickly weakening. Therefore, this has led to questions about its role in the geomagnetic reversal.
However, based on recent studies, the SAA doesn't suggest an upcoming reversal of the Earth's magnetic poles and that it will likely disappear within the next 300 years. Therefore, the planet is not heading towards a polarity reversal any time soon.
Also Read: Earth's Magnetic Field Weakens on an Expanded Area, Scientists Say
What Happens a Polarity Reversal Takes Place
The cause of a geomagnetic reversal isn't clear; however, there is some research that shows it's a natural consequence of the changes that happen on the Earth's interior. While some studies suggest that external events can trigger these reversals.
Moreover, there is uncertainty about the effects of a reversal, yet some scientists think that they could trigger extinctions. Should the magnetic shield weaken e enough during a reversal, there will be an increase in solar radiation that could have consequences for life on the planet.
On the other hand, pqaleointensity evidence shows that the shield will not disappear during a reversal. Therefore, there doesn't seem to be a strong link between reversals and extensions.
Additionally, nobody really knows the exact things that would happen to our civilization when a reversal takes place. One thing's for sure, in this technologically-advanced world, the effect could be significant. This is because when the sun emits a powerful blast of energy at the planet, it can warp the Earth's magnetosphere, which could affect electronics, power grid, and navigation.
What is the Concern About the SAA?
The reason the SAA is concerning is due to the weakened magnetic field that makes it difficult for satellites. This happens due to its interaction with the Van Allen Belts, which are zones of trapped charged particles around the earth. With the SAA, it makes the belts closest to Earth. Therefore, every time a satellite orbiting the planet passes over the South Atlantic, it faces increased radiation from the Belts. In fact, NASA's Hubble doesn't take any observations that pass through the SAA because of the radiation. The agency even reported that sometimes the computers would crash when passing through the SAA.
Related Article: How Old Is the Earth's Magnetic Field? Scientists Traced Back South Atlantic Anomaly to 11 Million Years
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Written by April Fowell
