Scientists say they have found a hole in Earth's magnetic field

[dr.umer]

Scientists say they have found a hole in Earth's magnetic field ​

Dec 16, 2008

By The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - Recent satellite observations have revealed the largest breach yet seen in the magnetic field that protects Earth from most of the sun's violent blasts.

Researchers say the discovery was made last summer by Themis, a fleet of five small NASA satellites. Scientists have long known that the Earth's magnetic field, which guards against severe space weather, is similar to a drafty old house that sometimes lets in violent eruptions of charged particles from the sun.

Such a breach can cause brilliant auroras or disrupt satellite and ground communications.

Observations from Themis show the Earth's magnetic field occasionally develops two cracks.

They allow solar wind - a stream of charged particles spewing from the sun at 1 million mph - to penetrate the Earth's upper atmosphere.

Last summer, Themis calculated a layer of solar particles to be at least 6,500 kilometres thick in the outermost part of the Earth's magnetosphere, the largest tear of the protective shield found so far.

"It was growing rather fast," Themis scientist Marit Oieroset of the University of California, Berkeley told an American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.

The research was funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation.

Scientists initially believed the greatest solar breach occurred when the Earth's and sun's magnetic fields are pointed in opposite directions.

However, data from Themis found the opposite to be true.

Twenty times more solar wind passed into the Earth's protective shield when the magnetic fields were aligned, Oieroset said.

The Themis results could have bearing on how scientists predict the severity of solar storms and their effects on power grids, airline and military communications and satellite signals.

 

[roopesh]

May be true. I am not into physics much

But Americans somehow very afraid and worried abt earth's end. They really dont believe god as much as Indians/Pakistan ppl. If you see movies/stories/games all based on some super natural or artificial power disturbing american power and existance. I hate this idea.

Human is nothing infront of these powers. There is no way he can change. If its happening then it happens. Common person shouldnt be scare of these...and for me its BULL......^%$^

 

[TruthSeeker]

But Americans somehow very afraid and worried abt earth's end. They really dont believe god as much as Indians/Pakistan ppl.

Your first sentence contradicts your second sentence. Total opinionated BS! The article quoted only gives scientific information and the concerns expressed are about practical implications for things like radio communications. Why make this into some kind of attack on Americans? Are you a paranoid hater or something? Why does your mind work like that?

 

[roopesh]

My brain really coulnt understand what it means....all top of my head..so my comments....

 

[Blossom]

A hole in a magnetic field? i don't get that. i read alot about magnetic field and the electro magnetic flux.does it have a visible physical existence?? i don't think so

 

[Blossom]

Secondly isn't that the Ozone layer which protects the earth from harmful ultraviole and other rays emitted from sun??

 

[TruthSeeker]

A hole in a magnetic field? i don't get that. i read alot about magnetic field and the electro magnetic flux.does it have a visible physical existence?? i don't think so

The magnetic field of the earth does not have uniform strength everywhere on the surface. The "hole" just means an area that has much less strength than average. Scientists cannot explain how the earth's magnetic field is formed but theorize it has to do with currents of layered molten metal, mostly iron, in the earth core. Perhaps there have always been "holes" in the earth's magnetic field, but now, with satellite magnetometers, the field strength can be mapped and monitored more precisely. So maybe the phenomena is nothing new, we can just measure it it now. It is believed that the earth's magnetic field switches north-to-south-to north-again every 75,000 years or so. Some physicists think that the "switching" may be underway and will happen gradually over the next 5000 years.

 

[Blossom]

The magnetic field of the earth does not have uniform strength everywhere on the surface. The "hole" just means an area that has much less strength than average. Scientists cannot explain how the earth's magnetic field is formed but theorize it has to do with currents of layered molten metal, mostly iron, in the earth core. Perhaps there have always been "holes" in the earth's magnetic field, but now, with satellite magnetometers, the field strength can be mapped and monitored more precisely. So maybe the phenomena is nothing new, we can just measure it it now. It is believed that the earth's magnetic field switches north-to-south-to north-again every 75,000 years or so. Some physicists think that the "switching" may be underway and will happen gradually over the next 5000 years.

Thanks as far as i know scientist identify an electric or magnetic field as infinite concentric circles around the object.

 

[Luftwaffe]

Go to this website it has one hell of information regarding Ozone layer and other layers that covers the earth.
http://www.answering-christianity.com/ozone_air_balance.htm