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scientists didn’t discuss is the impact on the human bioelectrical system. "The opening was huge—four times wider than Earth itself," said Wenhui Li, a space physicist at the University of New Hampshire, who has been analysing he data. Li's colleague Jimmy Raeder, also of the University of New Hampshire, said: "1 particles per second were flowing into the magnetosphere—that's a followed by 27 zeros. This kind of influx is an order of magnitude greater than what we thought was possible.” Space physicists have long believed that holes in the Earth's magnetosphere open only in response to solar magnetic fields that point south. The great breach of une 2007, however, opened in response to a solar magnetic field that pointed north. To the layperson his may sound like a quibble, but to a space physicist it is almost seismic. he data. Li's colleague Jimmy Raeder, also of the _ Earth's Magnetic Field Changes Climate University of New Hampshire, said: "1 particles per The Earth's climate has been significantly affected by second were flowing into the magnetosphere—that's a _ the planet's magnetic field, according to a Danish followed by 27 zeros. This kind of influx is an order — study published in January 2009 which could challenge of magnitude greater than what we thought was _ the notion that human emissions are responsible for possible.” global warming. Space physicists have long believed that holes in the "Our results show a strong correlation between the Earth's magnetosphere open only in response to solar strength of the Earth's magnetic field and the amount magnetic fields that point south. The great breach of — of precipitation in the tropics," one of the two Danish une 2007, however, opened in response to a solar geophysicists behind the study, Mads Faurschou magnetic field that pointed north. To the layperson Knudsen of the geology department at Aarhus his may sound like a quibble, but to a space physicist University in Denmark, told Videnskab journal. it is almost seismic. The results of the study (also published in the US scientific journal Geology) lend support to a Unexpected Shield Drop controversial theory published a decade ago by Danish Regarding how our magnetic astrophysicist Henrik field is changing, what is Svensmark, who claimed that understood today in the the climate is highly influenced scientific community is that The Earth's and the Sun's by galactic cosmic ray (GCR) the solar wind presses against . . : particles penetrating the the Earth's magnetosphere magnetic fields will be in Earth's atmosphere. almost directly above the sync at the peak of Solar equator, where our planet's Q Geomagnetic Field Reversal magnetic field points north. Cycle 24, expected In 2012. Another recent — study Scientists previously believed This will cause an influx of suggests that rapid changes in that if a bundle of solar the churning movement of the magnetism came along and solar particles. Earth's liquid outer core are pointed north, too, the two weakening the magnetic field in fields should reinforce one some regions of the planet's another, strengthening the surface. Earth's magnetic defences and slamming the door shut "What is so surprising is that rapid, almost sudden, on the solar wind. changes take place in the Earth's magnetic field,” said In the language of space physics, a north-pointing study co-author Nils Olsen, a geophysicist at the solar magnetic field is called a "northern IMF" Danish National Space Center in Copenhagen. (interplanetary magnetic field) and it is synonymous The findings suggest similarly quick changes are with "shields up". simultaneously occurring in the liquid metal, 1,900 The big surprise is that when a northern IMF came _ miles (3,000 kilometres) below the surface, Olsen said. along, the shields went down. This has completely Fluctuations in the magnetic field have occurred in overturned many scientists’ understanding of things. several far-flung regions of the Earth. As researchers investigated the tear in the magnetic The changes "may suggest the possibility of an field, they discovered that 20 times more solar wind upcoming reversal of the geomagnetic field" said study passed into the Earth's protective shield when the co-author Mioara Mandea, a scientist at the German magnetic fields were aligned. Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam. Northern IMF events don't actually trigger Earth's magnetic field has reversed hundreds of geomagnetic storms, Raeder noted, but they do set the times over the past billion years, and the process stage for storms by loading the magnetosphere with — could take thousands of years to complete. plasma. A loaded magnetosphere is primed for The decline in the magnetic field is also opening the auroras, power outages and other disturbances that Earth's upper atmosphere to intense charged-particle can result when a CME (coronal mass ejection) hits. radiation, according to scientists. This means that the impact of solar flares is 20 times as strong when the magnetic fields are aligned. Cosmic Rays Slam the Earth The Earth's and the Sun's magnetic fields will be in An international team of researchers has discovered sync at the peak of Solar Cycle 24, expected in 2012. a puzzling surplus of high-energy electrons This will cause an influx of solar particles. What the bombarding Earth from space. The source of these sync at the peak of Solar Cycle 24, expected in 2012. This will cause an influx of Cosmic Rays Slam the Earth An international team of researchers has discovered a puzzling surplus of high-energy electrons bombarding Earth from space. The source of these 32 * NEXUS The Earth's and the Sun's magnetic fields will be in solar particles. APRIL - MAY 2009 www.nexusmagazine.com