GEOMAGNETIC REVERSAL
WHAT IS MEANT BY GEOMAGNETIC REVERSAL?
- A reversal in Earth’s magnetic field is a change in a planet’s magnetic field such that the positions of magnetic north and south get interchanged.
NORMAL & REVERSED FIELD
- In Normal Polarity, Earth’s North Magnetic Pole is the South Pole of its Magnetic Field.
- In Reverse Polarity, Earth’s North Magnetic Pole is the North Pole of its Magnetic Field.
CURRENT LOCATION OF MAGNETIC POLES
- The North Magnetic Pole (86֯ N, 172֯ W) lies to the north of Ellesmere Island in northern Canada and is rapidly drifting towards Siberia.
- The South Magnetic Pole is currently off the coast of Antarctica.
- Scientists suggest that the north magnetic pole migrates about 10 km per year.
WHAT ARE GEOMAGNETIC STORMS?
- It is a temporary disturbance of the Earth's magnetosphere.
- It caused by a solar wind shock wave.
- It is the disturbance of Earth’s upper atmosphere.
- It is brought on by coronal mass ejections (CME).
- CME is large eruptions from the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona).