Is the magnetic field around the earth decaying and what would the consequences be?
919414
The Earth's magnetic field is in a constant state of flux (pun?), and it periodically reverses. Some scientists have reported a weakening of the field and this is a cause for concern, since it deflects incoming radiation from the solar wind. When it does occur, it takes several tens of thousands of years to complete, and in the meanwhile, lesser dipoles (not located at the axial poles) become the main dipoles. The consequences are that increased radiation will cause mutations in the biosphere (except for that in deep underwater environments), resulting in massive death at the new "north" dipole. Contrary to what a previous answerer said, this has nothing to do with gases emitted by man (CFCs), which were depleting the ozone layer.
486058
No.The magnetosphere is the result of Earth`s magnetic field. It depends directly on the magnetic field. But is not expanding or getting smaller, at least not at a large scale. There are variations, but little ones. The magnetic field is created by Earth`s spinning melted iron core. If the angular speed of the core decreases or increases, then the magnetic field and the magnetosphere will do the same thing. For now, thank`s God, is constant.
358443
Natural magnetic variations and decay.  It is like waves of variation.
36195
Actually our geographic north is south pole of our big earths magnet and similarly with south....\n\nActualy it is just a convention we can consider anything as north or south,..... similar to positive and negative chages.\n\nRecently scientists have found that the earth's polarity is changing, while this process is going on there will be a break down in our earth's protective magnetic field.\n\nSo cosmic radiations can through earth's atmos.....\n\nFor this stage to sttain there is around a 1000 years to go.
49395
There is a confusion about magnetic attration and gravity attraction. First of all,nothing has been proven to show that there is something in the earth that pulls you down.It makes more senseto believe that gravity is an external phenomena rather than an internal one.\n\nThere is no magnetic response unless two poles exist in a material. In this case we have an internal phenomena which has to do the atomic structure of the material which forms\nan external circuit of twisted space. It requires two opposite ends to observe a magnetic response. The poles of a material which is magnetized can exhibit both attraction and repulsion.\nMost material display some magnetism.\nFerrous material are able to store magnetic power more so than other material because of the arrangement of their electronic structures.\n\nIt is believed by scientists that  the magnetism of the earth is caused by a molted iron core;however ,it has\nbeen shown that at high temperature a magnetic field cannot be established.\n\nThe best explanation presented was that the earth magnetic field is caused by the motion of the ocean around the earth.
1099724
Well this is a 12 year old talking\n\n\nUmm maybe not since magnetic isnt gonna move anything non magnetic and soon the earth's rotation will stop because of friction accually it started when earth was created\n\nNote: A billion years ago it was 21 hours a day
561324
No one possesses the right technology to destroy the earth's magnetic field.  Just leave it alone anyway it's always on the move.   Now the magnetic north pole i.e. where all compass really point is not the earth's North Pole, all compasses point to Prince something Island off the eastern side of Canada.  This is why on maps you will find what is called a declination angle to help in navigation.\nThroughout the earth's history, the pole has reversed every few million years.   Now, if a significant reversal should happen, that would be catastrophic in several ways.  Animals would no longer migrate the right direction, and all our technology used for navigation would have to be re calibrated.  The earth has a magetic field so that lethal amounts of solar radiation particles go around us instead of hitting the crust.
1020724
Based upon the study of lava formations in Hawaii, it has been deduced that the Earth's magnetic field reverses at intervals, ranging from tens of thousands to many millions of years, with an average interval of approximately 250,000 years. The last such event, called the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal, occurred some 780,000 years ago.\n\nThe mechanism responsible for geomagnetic reversals is not well understood. Some scientists have produced models for the core of the Earth wherein the magnetic field is only quasi-stable and the poles can spontaneously migrate from one orientation to the other over the course of a few hundred to a few thousand years. Other scientists propose that the geodynamo first turns itself off, either spontaneously or through some external action like a comet impact, and then restarts itself with the magnetic "North" pole pointing either North or South. External events are not likely to be routine causes of magnetic field reversals due to the lack of a correlation between the age of impact craters and the timing of reversals. Regardless of the cause, when magnetic "North" reappears in the opposite direction this is a reversal, whereas turning off and returning in the same direction is called a geomagnetic excursion.\n\nUsing a magnetic detector (a variant of a compass), scientists have measured the historical direction of the Earth's magnetic field, by studying the layered iron-rich lava rocks. This is possible as each layer has been found to maintain the original magnetic field at its time of cooling. They have found that the poles have shifted a number of times throughout the past.\n\nThe above is a quote from Wikpaedia and magnetic pole reversal is well documented in scientific literature. It still begs the question raised by one of the correspondents above as to why then there were not great extinctions as the magnetosphere would be disrupted and lethal cosmic radiation would harm all surface dwelling life.
300354
There was a report on Discovery that Earth maginetic field is shifting.this shift of poles will take thousand of years so there is no sudden change.During this change magnetic field will completely stop and there will be no defense againest solar radiation.This will cause cancer to human biengs.\nthere is a movie,"The Core" in which they shown the after effects of eliminated magnet field.
156410
Yes, it is likely that we are experiencing a reversal at this time. \n\nThe earth's magnetic field has been decreasing in field strength by about 5% per century in recent times. This is one of the fastest decreases of the magnetic field that has ever been verified. Around 700 AD the earth's magnetic field was about 50% higher than it is now. At this rate, it is estimated that the earth could reach a zero-strength magnetic field in about 2000 years. Magnetic reversals are usually triggered when the field strength approaches zero.  Another indication that some geologists and geophysicists believe may be pointing to a reversal is that the poles have been wandering at a faster rate than is commonly seen in the rock record. This instability of the magnetic field suggests we may be close to a reversal. \n\nAlso consider that since we have never experienced a reversal this is hardly a certainty. The earth's magnetic field fluctuates quite widely during what are known as 'excursions', and these are as frequent as every 50,000 years. Our current changes in the magnetic field may result in nothing more than an excursion, which is not a reversal of the field. There have been at least 11 of these excursions since the last reversal at 730,000 years before present. \n\nI've done magnetostratigraphic work.
273730
Seems like the biggest question would be the resulting effect on the Earth's magnetic field which shields us from the sun's solar wind.
108424
Earth's magnetic field (and the surface magnetic field) is approximately a magnetic dipole, with one pole near the geographic north pole and the other near the geographic south pole. An imaginary line joining the magnetic poles would be inclined by approximately 11.3° from the planet's axis of rotation. The cause of the field is probably explained by dynamo theory. The magnetic field extends several tens of thousands of kilometres into space as the magnetosphere\n\nThe locations of the magnetic poles are not static but wander as much as 15km every year (Dr. David P. Stern, emeritus Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA). The two poles wander independently of each other and are not at directly opposite positions on the globe. Currently the south magnetic pole is farther from the geographic south pole than the north magnetic pole is from the north geographic pole.\n\nThe field is similar to that of a bar magnet, but this similarity is superficial. The magnetic field of a bar magnet, or any other type of permanent magnet, is created by the coordinated motions of electrons (negatively charged particles) within iron atoms. The Earth's core, however, is hotter than 1043 K, the Curie point temperature at which the orientations of electron orbits within iron become randomized. Such randomization tends to cause the substance to lose its magnetic field. Therefore the Earth's magnetic field is caused not by magnetised iron deposits, but mostly by electric currents in the liquid outer core.\n\nAnother feature that distinguishes the Earth magnetically from a bar magnet is its magnetosphere. At large distances from the planet, this dominates the surface magnetic field.\n\nElectric currents induced in the ionosphere also generate magnetic fields. Such a field is always generated near where the atmosphere is closest to the Sun, causing daily alterations which can deflect surface magnetic fields by as much as one degree.\n\nMagnetic field variations\n \nGeomagnetic variations since last reversal.The strength of the field at the Earth's surface ranges from less than 30 microteslas (0.3 gauss) in an area including most of South America and South Africa to over 60 microteslas (0.6 gauss) around the magnetic poles in northern Canada and south of Australia, and in part of Siberia.\n\nMagnetometers detect minute deviations in the Earth's magnetic field caused by iron artefacts, kilns, some types of stone structures, and even ditches and middens in geophysical survey. Using the magnetic instruments adapted from airborne devices developed during World War II to detect submarines, the magnetic variations across the ocean floor have been mapped. The basalt -- the iron-rich, volcanic rock making up the ocean floor -- contains a strongly magnetic mineral (magnetite) and can locally distort compass readings. The distortion was recognized by Icelandic mariners as early as the late 18th century. More important, because the presence of magnetite gives the basalt measurable magnetic properties, these magnetic variations have provided another means to study the deep ocean floor. When newly formed rock cools, such magnetic materials record the Earth's magnetic field.\n\nIn October 2003, the Earth's magnetosphere was hit by a solar flare causing a brief but intense geomagnetic storm, provoking unusual displays of aurorae.\n\nMagnetic field reversals\n\n\n\nMain article: geomagnetic reversal \nBased upon the study of lava formations in Hawaii, it has been deduced that the Earth's magnetic field reverses at intervals, ranging from tens of thousands to many millions of years, with an average interval of approximately 250,000 years. The last such event, called the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal, occurred some 780,000 years ago.\n\nThe mechanism responsible for geomagnetic reversals is not well understood. Some scientists have produced models for the core of the Earth wherein the magnetic field is only quasi-stable and the poles can spontan
122494
Earth's magnetic field is one of the most important protections living things have against deadly radiation streaming in at us from the Sun. If this magnetic field were to weaken too much, as it does when the field periodically reverses, life on Earth would be threatened. Also, many animals use Earth's magnetic field to navigate during their migrations, and should the field weaken these creatures wouldn't be able to find their way.
342702
No it hasn't. It's been this way since before Humans walked the earth or at the very least since some bright spark invented the compass. However, we know that the earths magnetic field has changed over time by looking at the direction of magnetism in a cross section of magnetic rock! The direction changes at different points in the cross section and the lower you go, the earlier in time it is.
1049735
It appears that this is unlikely.  The Vaastu Shastra is a compilation of various ancient texts and relate primarily to use of space and building to satisfy the primary gods of the cardinal points.  They are heavily aligned to spacial points which were considered energy bearing in ancient time and to some modern schools of religious thought as related to the ancient.  Unfortunately in regards to your question the magnetic fields of the Earth are not aligned with the cardinal points and are actually continually fluctuating due to vagaries inside the Earth and as they are impacted by cosmic influences, especially the activities of the Sun.
169563
The earth's magnetic field is generated by the molten core deep inside the planet.  The magnetic North pole is positioend in the North of Canada (Churchill Bay) I believe, and this is due to an iron rich element of the magma core being near the surface.  \n\nThe magnetic North Pole is moving, and there is eveidence to show that this is quite normal over time, and that at points in history the poles have reversed.
1005047
this would work only over short distances.  the problem is that gravity decreases as one over the square of the distance, while magnetism decreases as one over the cube of the distance.  thus, magnetism would get weaker faster than gravity.  also, magnetic field structures tend to be much more complex than gravitational fields.  you would have to understand the magnetic field of the planet extremely well for it to be of use for something like this.