Md Sadat Hussain Rafsanjani :
There exists an invisible shield around the planet earth that has been protecting us for since the dawn of humanity and all other life forms that earth contains. This shield gives us security from solar radiations, specially solar flares and solar storms that emit an immense amount of energy on regular basis. But the shocking news is this shield is about to fade away and the phenomenon concerning scientists, geologists, astrophysicists and naturalists all over the world badly.
Beneath the 2000 miles under the heart of earth can be found not sleeping but howling. It is a place where liquid iron and other metallic particles stay in molten state. This is called the molten core, a natural dynamo that creates the invisible shield, the magnetic field of earth.
Magnetic field plays a very important role. In every few hours the sun is ejecting billions of charged particles, which we called solar wind. This solar wind is very dangerous as it has immense energy that can destroy anything.
The amount of emitted energy is so powerful that it can vaporize all sea water in few hours. But due to the presence of earth’s magnetic field, the magnetism deflects charged particles thus the energy wave bypasses the earth harmlessly. The only visible sign of this phenomenon can be witnessed on the polar regions of the earth.
On North and South Pole where magnetic field is induced, the solar particles are trapped and dragged through the atmosphere to the poles. Thus we can see a lightening charge carrying cloud like scenery called aurora. The colour of aurora changes because the charged particles excite the air molecule. The process makes them glow. The aurora color is red or green because of the oxygen radiation and blue because of nitrogen existence.
These solar particles sometimes potentially dangerous because they contain radiation. The solar winds blows through the galaxy are winds of radiations as most of the time they are generated from distant exploded stars. This radiated particle is so intense that can cause mutation in living organism too.
Luckily the magnetic field is there that protects us from the solar wind as the field is generated from South Pole, loops around the planet earth and ends at the North Pole. But scientist believes all on a sudden the magnetic field is fading away for some unknown reasons. Some also adds that if the strength is constantly decreasing in this rate, the field will last till the next millennium only.
Just like earth, magnetic field is also observed in other planets. Venus and Mars also have magnetic fields but they are very weak. Recently, scientists found out the adverse effects of solar winds which can be proved fatal for life forms to survive. In 1996, a satellite is sent to Mars by NASA.
The mission provided much valuable information about the necessity of existence for a natural magnetic field. It is very surprising that although Mars has a frozen core, the planet has a magnetic field. When the fact was first known, scientists were very astonished to learn as it seems impossible to them. The surface of Mars is composed of frozen lava which contains iron based minerals. Iron based minerals can pick up magnetism when cooling down in a magnetic field. Somehow the planet lost its magnetic field four billion years ago. Drastically, the atmosphere of Mars gassed away due to the constant attacks of solar charged particles. As a result, Mars lost its water too, vaporized.
The magnetic field of earth that we as it is today was not always the same. In fact, new evidences suggest that the magnetic field was different from now approximately ten thousand years ago. Moreover researchers claim that they have solid proof of the phenomenon that was incidental in many parts of the world in the past. One such kind of evidence is clay made vases and soil pots manufactured several thousand years ago when the magnetic field direction was different. It was discovered that, raw clay contains tiny iron based particles. These particles are called magnetite as they act like micro magnets. The particles point in different directions in raw state. Once the clay made pots are given desired shape, they are placed inside a furnace to be fired for a distinct amount of hours. This process is very important and crucial as the residual physical or chemical water is vaporized and the intense heat erases all the magnetic regions in the clay. Upon cooling down, new magnetic fields are arisen and get aligned to the earth’s magnetic field. As we know it all that the north pole of any magnetic substance points to the geographic north of the earth and the south pole to the south. This is called the directive property of a magnet. Fact of the matter is the geographic north is actually the south pole of the earth’s magnet and the geographic south is the vice versa. So it was obvious that the micro particles in the clay pots should have been pointing to the earth’ magnetic south and north consecutively. But the astonishing discovery was made when researchers found out that instead of getting aligned with the earth’ magnetic field the micro particles were pointing to the opposite directions that is geographic south and geographic north.
Another prominent experiment was conducted by a group of researchers in several parts of volcanic sights around the globe. They collected lava samples shows that the magnetic substances in the lava samples are pointing south to north, a clear indication that 7000 years ago the magnetic field was north to south.
What causes the earth’s magnetic field? To learn that we have to know how the earth is composed of layers or plates and shells. Earth has four main distinguished layers namely crust, mantle, outer core and the inner core.
The inner and outer cores are made of iron. Iron based particles share electrons between the atoms. These moving electrons can introduce magnetism. The inner solid core is so hot that heats up the lower liquid outer core. This causes convection currents which triggers moving molten core. As the liquid metal is in constant motion a magnetic field is generated. This magnetic field also gives birth to the electric current which in times induces another magnetic field.
For this reason the earth has a magnetic field that is unified and this phenomenon is called feedback loop. However for each million years the pole shifts its directions which we called magnetic flips
approximately forty five times. The clay pots recovered and examined clearly shows that the last magnetic flip was held at least 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Scientists believe that we are already overdue for another magnetic flip. It has not been taken place yet but should be. The indication is clear although it took a constant amount
of time to make people believe the fact
that magnetic poles can flip.
In the early 90s a prominent researcher started investigating this polar shifting phenomenon using computer models.
He collected a plethora of data and used some complex mathematical equations to illustrate this computer model about earth’s magnetic pole. He had to use a lot of upper computers to solve the equations to project the actual outcome of the computer
generated scenario. The equations and mathematical models were so complex that for one computer took it about six months to solve. So accelerate the computational difficulties super computers from Department of Energy, NASA and National Science Foundation were used
for assistance to simulate the model. Eventually the workings on the mathematical models came to an end after four years. When the researcher started to replay the full simulation from start to finish, he became surprised. The whole experiment left the world astonished as it clearly showed that when the dipole was most weak, then the reversal took place.
At first it took some times to establish
the new found outcomes that no one ever imagined. Many other researches opposed to the experiment. Some were dubious about the equations and methods were used to solve the mathematical model.
But with enough evidence in hand, the fact was established. Researchers said that, the last polar shift took place about 781,000 years ago. But the question remained that how much time it takes to reverse the poles? This dispute was later confirmed by scientists that the reversal can take several years. At first the magnetic field starts to decay and then the polar shift takes place rapidly. Some also argued over the impacts of this polar shifts and ensuing decay of magnetic field magnitude.
One research from German scientists shows that during the last reversal the magnitude decay rate was reduced 5 per cent of actual strength which caused some polar caps to be melted down. As decay rate increases with time the charged
particles discharged from outer space directly hits the radiation layers of earth causing an increase in atmospheric heat entrapment. This heat can melt down ice and cause massive flood. Other hazards
are named but connected weakly with
the phenomenon. n
There exists an invisible shield around the planet earth that has been protecting us for since the dawn of humanity and all other life forms that earth contains. This shield gives us security from solar radiations, specially solar flares and solar storms that emit an immense amount of energy on regular basis. But the shocking news is this shield is about to fade away and the phenomenon concerning scientists, geologists, astrophysicists and naturalists all over the world badly.
Beneath the 2000 miles under the heart of earth can be found not sleeping but howling. It is a place where liquid iron and other metallic particles stay in molten state. This is called the molten core, a natural dynamo that creates the invisible shield, the magnetic field of earth.
Magnetic field plays a very important role. In every few hours the sun is ejecting billions of charged particles, which we called solar wind. This solar wind is very dangerous as it has immense energy that can destroy anything.
The amount of emitted energy is so powerful that it can vaporize all sea water in few hours. But due to the presence of earth’s magnetic field, the magnetism deflects charged particles thus the energy wave bypasses the earth harmlessly. The only visible sign of this phenomenon can be witnessed on the polar regions of the earth.
On North and South Pole where magnetic field is induced, the solar particles are trapped and dragged through the atmosphere to the poles. Thus we can see a lightening charge carrying cloud like scenery called aurora. The colour of aurora changes because the charged particles excite the air molecule. The process makes them glow. The aurora color is red or green because of the oxygen radiation and blue because of nitrogen existence.
These solar particles sometimes potentially dangerous because they contain radiation. The solar winds blows through the galaxy are winds of radiations as most of the time they are generated from distant exploded stars. This radiated particle is so intense that can cause mutation in living organism too.
Luckily the magnetic field is there that protects us from the solar wind as the field is generated from South Pole, loops around the planet earth and ends at the North Pole. But scientist believes all on a sudden the magnetic field is fading away for some unknown reasons. Some also adds that if the strength is constantly decreasing in this rate, the field will last till the next millennium only.
Just like earth, magnetic field is also observed in other planets. Venus and Mars also have magnetic fields but they are very weak. Recently, scientists found out the adverse effects of solar winds which can be proved fatal for life forms to survive. In 1996, a satellite is sent to Mars by NASA.
The mission provided much valuable information about the necessity of existence for a natural magnetic field. It is very surprising that although Mars has a frozen core, the planet has a magnetic field. When the fact was first known, scientists were very astonished to learn as it seems impossible to them. The surface of Mars is composed of frozen lava which contains iron based minerals. Iron based minerals can pick up magnetism when cooling down in a magnetic field. Somehow the planet lost its magnetic field four billion years ago. Drastically, the atmosphere of Mars gassed away due to the constant attacks of solar charged particles. As a result, Mars lost its water too, vaporized.
The magnetic field of earth that we as it is today was not always the same. In fact, new evidences suggest that the magnetic field was different from now approximately ten thousand years ago. Moreover researchers claim that they have solid proof of the phenomenon that was incidental in many parts of the world in the past. One such kind of evidence is clay made vases and soil pots manufactured several thousand years ago when the magnetic field direction was different. It was discovered that, raw clay contains tiny iron based particles. These particles are called magnetite as they act like micro magnets. The particles point in different directions in raw state. Once the clay made pots are given desired shape, they are placed inside a furnace to be fired for a distinct amount of hours. This process is very important and crucial as the residual physical or chemical water is vaporized and the intense heat erases all the magnetic regions in the clay. Upon cooling down, new magnetic fields are arisen and get aligned to the earth’s magnetic field. As we know it all that the north pole of any magnetic substance points to the geographic north of the earth and the south pole to the south. This is called the directive property of a magnet. Fact of the matter is the geographic north is actually the south pole of the earth’s magnet and the geographic south is the vice versa. So it was obvious that the micro particles in the clay pots should have been pointing to the earth’ magnetic south and north consecutively. But the astonishing discovery was made when researchers found out that instead of getting aligned with the earth’ magnetic field the micro particles were pointing to the opposite directions that is geographic south and geographic north.
Another prominent experiment was conducted by a group of researchers in several parts of volcanic sights around the globe. They collected lava samples shows that the magnetic substances in the lava samples are pointing south to north, a clear indication that 7000 years ago the magnetic field was north to south.
What causes the earth’s magnetic field? To learn that we have to know how the earth is composed of layers or plates and shells. Earth has four main distinguished layers namely crust, mantle, outer core and the inner core.
The inner and outer cores are made of iron. Iron based particles share electrons between the atoms. These moving electrons can introduce magnetism. The inner solid core is so hot that heats up the lower liquid outer core. This causes convection currents which triggers moving molten core. As the liquid metal is in constant motion a magnetic field is generated. This magnetic field also gives birth to the electric current which in times induces another magnetic field.
For this reason the earth has a magnetic field that is unified and this phenomenon is called feedback loop. However for each million years the pole shifts its directions which we called magnetic flips
approximately forty five times. The clay pots recovered and examined clearly shows that the last magnetic flip was held at least 7,000 to 8,000 years ago. Scientists believe that we are already overdue for another magnetic flip. It has not been taken place yet but should be. The indication is clear although it took a constant amount
of time to make people believe the fact
that magnetic poles can flip.
In the early 90s a prominent researcher started investigating this polar shifting phenomenon using computer models.
He collected a plethora of data and used some complex mathematical equations to illustrate this computer model about earth’s magnetic pole. He had to use a lot of upper computers to solve the equations to project the actual outcome of the computer
generated scenario. The equations and mathematical models were so complex that for one computer took it about six months to solve. So accelerate the computational difficulties super computers from Department of Energy, NASA and National Science Foundation were used
for assistance to simulate the model. Eventually the workings on the mathematical models came to an end after four years. When the researcher started to replay the full simulation from start to finish, he became surprised. The whole experiment left the world astonished as it clearly showed that when the dipole was most weak, then the reversal took place.
At first it took some times to establish
the new found outcomes that no one ever imagined. Many other researches opposed to the experiment. Some were dubious about the equations and methods were used to solve the mathematical model.
But with enough evidence in hand, the fact was established. Researchers said that, the last polar shift took place about 781,000 years ago. But the question remained that how much time it takes to reverse the poles? This dispute was later confirmed by scientists that the reversal can take several years. At first the magnetic field starts to decay and then the polar shift takes place rapidly. Some also argued over the impacts of this polar shifts and ensuing decay of magnetic field magnitude.
One research from German scientists shows that during the last reversal the magnitude decay rate was reduced 5 per cent of actual strength which caused some polar caps to be melted down. As decay rate increases with time the charged
particles discharged from outer space directly hits the radiation layers of earth causing an increase in atmospheric heat entrapment. This heat can melt down ice and cause massive flood. Other hazards
are named but connected weakly with
the phenomenon. n
