Robert Winner

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Geomagnetic reversal

A geomagnetic reversal is a change in the Earth's magnetic field such that the positions of magnetic north and magnetic south are interchanged.

This happens about every million yeas the last one 780,000 years ago. Since there is not set schedule this could occur any time.

What consequences could we expect .... How would you prepare ....

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    Dec 11 2012: Learn about magnetic fields if it shift the field will be almost exactly the same.
  • Dec 11 2012: According to NASA, we have nothing to worry about: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-poleReversal.html

    I read an article about one scientist researching this area, who says that a reversal might be coming very soon, within a few decades, and that it could be very sudden and abrupt. (Sorry, I could find no reference.) I know almost nothing about this, but it seems to me that an abrupt reversal could have some very bad effects, especially for animals that use the magnetic field for navigation. A lot of boy scouts are likely to get lost too. I would think that the biggest danger would be if the magnetic field weakened to the point where radiation came straight into the surface of the earth, as opposed to bending toward the poles. That could cause problems for all life forms.
  • Dec 16 2012: I can't wait for the polarization to shift.
    Imagine, Republicans voting for liberal issues that include inclusiveness of others,
    truly helping the poor, minorities, people of color, and stop killing by invading other countries.

    Also, maybe the insane Moral Majority in the states will become sane or even die out
    as another feces that becomes extinct.

    Can't wait.
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      Dec 16 2012: RC ... love your twist on the issue (LOL). However, do you really want that? As the last election demonstrated the Republicians were in the minority ... so what you have wished is that all issues on the poor, minorities, color, and wars be out voted by the majority democrats.

      PS. All of these issues should have been resolved when the Democrats held a super majority in both houses .... since it wasn't even addressed I guess it wasn't that important nor was the economy.

      Just sayin .....

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    Dec 14 2012: Robert,
    Here is a link that talks about magnetic field reversals


    According to other sites that I have found, the poles will likely shift when the field is at its weakest, and although the field is currently weakening, it is still a long ways off to where a shift is eminent. According to the site I provided, it says that studies have shown no link between pole shifts and species extinction. Two conclusions is that it won't happen in your lifetime, and when it does, not much to worry about it anyway.

    Also look at Wikepedia
    There is no specific interval where the poles reverse. The fact that we are overdue according to averages means nothing as to how close we are today.

    There is a book "Pole Shift" by John White. It mirrors the movie "2012" in its assessment of what happens in a pole shift. The copy I have is a later edition with a 10 year update. It provides further information by the author that refutes the whole concept of a pole shift happening anytime soon, or that it will produce any affects as was previously thought. Hollywood loves to jump on ideas like this, but that's Hollywood. They've destroyed much of the earth since I was a kid, but I'm still here out of harms way.

    The only preparing I will do is to ignore any further media hype on the subject.
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    Dec 12 2012: Well there goes my HDD's if it swaps within my lifetime.
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    Dec 11 2012: Our biggest problem will be at the magnetic minimum. Cosmic rays that normally gather to form the Van Allen belts will penetrate the atmosphere producing effects similar to after a solar flare. Interfering with RF communication etc. If a large solar flare occured at the same time you could get disruption of electrical systems similar to that produced by an EMP weapon or nuclear explosion.
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      Dec 11 2012: Peter this aligns with what I have read. Only one person stated a time factor of about two or three days until realignment is complete. Some have stated that the current "direction" has weakened and when the shift occures that the new direction will be stronger.

      Is there any validity to those assumptions.

      Thanks for the reply. Bob.
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        Dec 12 2012: Geological evidence suggests the realignment wil take many years. There are also records in rock strata of the field becoming chaotic for a few hundred years and the re-establishing in the same orientation. It's these chaotic periods that are really the problem for us.
  • Dec 11 2012: "This happens about every million yeas the last one 780,000 years ago. Since there is not set schedule this could occur any time."

    We're behind schedule and the Earth's magnetic field has been weakening for centuries so a reversal is probably taking place right now.

    "What consequences could we expect .... How would you prepare ...."

    A few centuries of the Earth's magnetic field weakening up to a certain minimum, followed by a rather sudden polarity flip and a few centuries of the field growing stronger again. The weakened magnetic field will mean more cosmic radiation will make it to the surface, causing an increase in skin cancer prevalence, this is separate, but adds up to the increase in skin cancer prevalence caused by the weakened ozon layer. Oh and our great grand children would all have to buy new compasses.
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    Dec 11 2012: Theories abound over alleged reversals. What does seem clear is that the field has a half life of 1400 years or so. This is measurable & consistent with the second law . This being the case, we appear to be in a fairly narrow Goldilocks Zone where life is possible. Now it could be that we are winding down to an imminent reversal, but if not then what ?

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    Dec 11 2012: Has it been 780,000 years? How time flies! Speaking of flying, I don't think birds know the meaning of words like North and South. If the lines of flux swap end-for-end our feathered friends won't know the difference. We literate creatures could implement a corrective algorithm for our word-based systems. North will be 180 degrees, South will be 360 ( or zero) degrees. Or, even better, we could just ignore the event and fly like the birds! Ignorance is bliss! Thanks for the diversion from the fiscal cliff.
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      Dec 11 2012: Edward, I wrote another conversation, that was not allowed, that I thought would be fun and as you say a great diversion. .... The Mapimí Silent Zone (Spanish: La Zona del Silencio) is the popular name for a desert patch near the Bolsón de Mapimí in Mexico overlapping the Mapimí Biosphere Reserve that is the subject of an urban myth that claims it is an area where radio signals cannot be received. .... The committee did not think this was a approperiate area of conversation. As I read about it there were some strange things that occurred there. You may enjoy looking at a article on the web about this for funnsies.

      I should have stuck to conversatins that would be more acceptiable and agreeable like sex, politics, and religion ...... no disagreements there .... LOL

      Be well my friend. Bob.
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        Dec 11 2012: Do I need my Thinking Cap, or my tin-foil hat? Based on some of the recent OP's I was wondering if anything got denied publication. Sorry to hear you suffered the humiliation of a rejection. My turn is coming I expect. Be of good cheer. . . . anyway!
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          Dec 11 2012: The type of hat would depend on if you are posing for a sculpture or desiring better TV reception.

          I am so depressed I had two egg nogs sans booze and may have a soda tomarrow.

          Do I need a designated driver ... I have never been on a drinking spree before?
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    Gail .

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    Dec 11 2012: It is underway already (provably).

    I sometimes blame it on the rampant insanity that has taken over the world. (Not that there is truth to this)
  • Dec 11 2012: The world is like a thermostat.
    Or Chinese balls, where there are balls inside of balls.

    The crust floats and rests on the upper mantel, which in turn floats and moves over the mantle and inside that, those three float and move over the outer core which turns over the inner core of the earth.

    It's almost mechanical like.

    In this way, the earth is designed (why not?) to begin setting its own temperature settings (or pole settings), every so many years or even millennium, or whatever period of time, the thermostat (so-to-speak), has been set to.

    With the changing of the poles, there is always a moment when the viewable begins in earnest and causes extreme storms, volcanic action, earthquakes and so on. The ice caps will melt and places like the Arizona desert, which were once the bottom of the ocean, may become that once more.

    There is certainly a tremendous amount of life in suspended form in the desert grounds, ready to begin life again.
    The same is true in the ice caps, where many different kinds of bacteria (for life) are found, stored in frozen suspension. They will create new life once they are released from their suspension.

    The same is true in volcanic vents, in deep underground caves and also in underground slime that is presently highly toxic.

    Greenland will yield a tremendous amount of resources to support life, once ice-free, as will Antarctica, which has a large land mass, and over 200 mountain ranges, some higher than 16,000 feet.

    Some land masses may be moved back together too, forming larger places for life to bloom.

    The Russian Federation will also yield tremendous amounts of resources to support life but many forms and species, including humans, may not all survive this change, but life, and we are part of life, will, and will grow again.

    Just a thought.
  • Dec 11 2012: Sad to say in 220,000 years I probably won't be around.
    Obviously No one will be allowed to do much planning
    Besides there are millions of people who don't even believe the world is like a sphere.