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Earth Pole Reversal
Name: Tarel
Status: Student
Age: 30s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
I am a geology honors student researching the cause of
the K-T extinction. I am familiar with the various meteor,
volcano,
climatic change, etc. theories, my professor has also
advised that every
extinction event has also been accompanied by a pole
reversal. From my
understanding of the earth's magnetic field it absorbs all
the gamma,
x-rays and 1/2 of the uv radiation which is then fed into
the earth at
the poles. I have read information which states these
reversals can
occur rather quickly -- in a matter of months. I am
wondering whether
there is any scientific basis to believe that a pole reversal of an
appropriate length would cause sufficient radiation deaths
and mutations
in the gene pool to cause an extinction event and the
subsequent new
diversity of life forms. Why or why not?
Replies:
Well, I'm not going to answer your whole question, but I do feel called to
clear up one misconception you have. The earth's magnetic field helps to
funnel only charged particles to the poles - uncharged radiation, such as
gamma, uv, and x-rays, are completely unaffected by magnetic fields. The
radiation that the earth's magnetic field deflects are ions - protons and
cosmic rays (energetic extrasolar ions).
Dr. Barrans
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Update: June 2012
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