Name: Gary
Status: Educator
Grade: 9-12
Location: MT
Country: United States
Date: July 2008
Question:
Over the past several years of teaching earth science I
have a had a reoccurring question come up. Is there any correlation
to the solar winds and Earth's magnetic pole shifting?
Replies:
If by shift, you mean the geomagnetic reversal, where north and south poles
exchange position, there is no relationship. Earth's magnetic field is generated
deep within the Earth far beyond any solar wind effects. One question that is
germane is; what happens when the geomagnetic field drops to zero? Then there is
no magnetic field shielding us from high energy particles in space whatever their
origin. Yet, to my knowledge no has yet found a correlation between reversals and
changes in the fossil record.
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