Ask A Scientist© Environmental Earth Science Archive

>
> >  name       Owen
> >  status     student
> >  age        18
>
> >  Question - Can you please explain whether or not the magnetic field of
> > the earth is decaying? If so, at what rate? Can we determine the age of
> > the earth from this rate?
>
>
>Ah, the creationist magnetic dating argument. Yes, measurements taken over
>the past hundred or so years indicate that the magnitude of the earth's
>magnetic dipole moment is decreasing. Geologic evidence shows that the
>earth's magnetic field has switched directions many times, so it's possible
>that we're approaching another zero point. That doesn't tell us anything at
>all about the age of the earth.
>
>Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
>Assistant Director
>PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois





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