What is the magnetic north polar shift all about?Is that the reason why we are losing and growing ice in areas

Question

Is that the reason why we are losing sheet ice in some areas, then growing ice sheets in others? Is that the real reason for "Global Warming?"

Answer 1

National Geographic article on the shifting of the magnetic north pole indicates it  is part a normal phenomenon. The poles have actually flip flopped several times in earths history .

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/...

Answer 2

Probably one of the larger contributors.

Answer 3

The magnetic poles do shift slightly all the time.

Since they have been monitoring, the magnetic North Pole has been moving several inches a year.

A couple of years ago scientists had measured the movement to be (from what I recall) about a meter in its travel from it's previous years location. The actual distance is relatively immaterial  for this discussion it's the ratios.(I'm probably not even close on the actual measurements)

While that is still not much on a global scale it does look like we are possibly going into another 'pole reversal'.

By studying magnetite deposits, scientists believe that this reversal of the magnetic field has happened many times in the past.

There is no scientific reason that I can see that the magnetic pole positioning would influence global climatic changes.

What is believed is that when the reversals have occurred in the past they happened rather suddenly.

Although I would like to see this phenomenon for myself I believe that they were talking geologic time and not man's time.

So it probably will be another 1000 years or so before the transition is complete. (Darn it anyway)

It is natural events which cause global climatic changes, mainly Solar activity and earths proximity to the sun in its slight elliptical orbit. I would not completely rule out some minor influence due to magnetic variation.

Enjoy it while you can. All it would take is another major volcanic event like Krakatoa to s***w it all up and throw us back into another 'Ice Age'.

Answer 4

As Bill says, it happens every so often at widely separated intervals.  On rarer occasions the poles assume an equatorial position.   People will say it is associated with everything from worldwide apocalypse to just reversal of the compass poles.  When it comes down to it we don't actually know. I don't see why a reversal would do much.  The equatorial thing would wreak a little havoc.   I see absolutely no reason to associate it with Global Warming, natural, manmade, or imaginary.

Answer 5

It could be.  But I personally think the "global warming" has nothing to do with us humans... or the reversing polarity of our magnetic field.  

I'm no expert, but I think it has more to do with the sun getting warmer.  The ice on Mars is melting too...

http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?art...

However, I do think that the reversing of our magnetic field is an interesting phenomenon.  It does this around every 250,000 years, but it's been almost 800,000 years since it happened last, so we're due.  They figured this out looking at the magnetic fields captured in ancient pottery throughout our history.

What kinds of changes can we expect?  Who knows.

It's really an interesting time we live in.

Answer 6

Jim Z's answer is best!

But if you want to understand more about losing and growing ice this is a good web page to read for perspective:

http://www.iceagenow.com/Misleading_Repo...

The embellished writing from CNN = "runaway disintegration" Oh Really!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/03/...

Also understand that Antarctica is on the southern end of the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' - a tectonically active area.

Magnitude 5.6 PACIFIC-ANTARCTIC RIDGE

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/neic_...

Answer 7

I would agree with Ken except his last sentence.  There is no sudden increase in temperature that is inconsistent with previous ones.  This is just hype.  The earth's magnetic field is due to eddys in the liquid outer core.  Ever couple of hundred thousand years on average it reverses.  During the process of reversal, the poles begin to spiral.  We appear to be in that process.  Additionally the magnetic strength weakens.  The earth's magnetosphere protects us from cosmic rays.  Cosmic rays have been shown in a laboratory to cause cloud formation.  Clouds effect the climate.  It is difficult to predict more than that with our current knowledge but it seems to me that the changing magnetic field might have some influence on the climate but clearly there are other factors that are more important such as the Milankovitch cycle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milankovitc...

Answer 8

The strength and position (of the poles) of the earths field definitely does change, but it's quite slow.  On average, it changes about every 250,000 years (we're overdue for another).  The changes generally take about 1000 years.  This is a complex process related to the core of the planet (molten iron) and the spin of the planet.

There is some research on-going about the long-term (multi-millennial) association with changing earths magnetic fields and climate, but the magnetic changes are far far too slow to be considered as a potential explanation for the current warming trend.  Part of this research is connected with long-term orbital anomalies, because the orbital anomalies are likely a factor in both climate change and the magnetic field change.