Is it really possible for the Earth's magnetic poles to switch places?

Question

And if so, does it happen quickly as in instantaneous, or gradually, over time or both?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Answer 1

Yes, there is, when it switch the spinning position around the sun. There is once happen during ice age when it spin oval orbit around the sun long time ago, and it spun out of it into a circular orbit because of the change, and cause the ice age melt to shrunken state of Artic. It pulled the earth gradually a bit nearer to the sun in a circular orbit which counted as a year.

Answer 2

Research into dated volcanic rocks tracks pole reversals, each time volcanic rock solidifies, it traps the orientations and time period in which polar flips occurred (So much for a gradual event, you're thinking of polar wandering there).During polar reversals, the earth's magnetic field gradually collapses leaving the planet open to cosmic radiation, although tenuous at best, there is a correlation between flips and decreases inn single celled organisms that live in the upper ocean waters. Over the past 76 million years there have been roughly 170 reversals, our present state has lasted some 710,000 years, how much longer -- we don't know. All we can speculate is that the reversals are due to changes in the motion of the magnetic liquid outer core of the planet. Some of these reversals have lasted up to 5 million years.

Answer 3

It's not theory or speculation, as some above have said. There are rocks that contain magnetic elements that show the direction of the magnetic poles. Over millions of years they show that the poles have reversed many times.

However, they do not know how quicky it happens. If it is slow, then there could be a relatively long time when the magnetism is between reversals and is effectively switched off. If that happened now, we would be be zapped by harmful solar and cosmic rays that the magnetism normal protects us from.

Answer 4

As others have stated, not only is it possible, but there is evidence in the rocks that it has happened many times over the billion years or so (age of older rocks on earth). When rocks are in molten form and are cooling, some of the molecules are sensitive to magnetic fields and will align themselves with the earth's field at that time. After they cool, they become locked in place. Some time later, other molten rock may align itself differently if the poles have switched.
This is of course something that happens over a very long period of time and is not easy for us to detect, however, the sun reverses its magnetic field about every 11 years. That is something we can detect and measure. Just when the sun is about to reverse its field, there is a large outbreak of sunspot activity. So in you lifetime, you will get he chance to see this happen a few times.

Answer 5

THey most certainly do, in fact, the earth's magnetic poles are moving all the time, just so slowly that we don't notice it. The main cause for the earth's magnetic poles it the motion of the magma under the earth's surface. The magma moves in currents, much like those in the oceans, and like the ocean currents, they change over time.

Answer 6

Yes. I just saw a show about that on either PBS or the Discovery channel, a few months ago.

Yes, the poles switch ever so often, every few million years or so.

Here's the good news. We will not feel a thing. Just our compases will be pointing south, instead.
They said it doesn't cause any noticable changes at all.

Nothing bad happens. YEA!!!!

Solya Kay is right. It is happening now but it is a very slow change. It is very gradual. Just like she said.

Answer 7

Yes, it has happened many times before in the past. Past magnetic reversals were recorded instantaneously in the rock record.

Answer 8

Who knows what mother nature will do to survive ?
Mother nature rules everywhere ....not just on earth.
I guess nothing will happen instantaneous , except in concentrated specific places on earth , but never over the whole surface earth, as such.

Answer 9

Yes it is possible, in fact it has happened before! They think it may be happening now, so it is gradually, but then again mother earth can do as she likes!

Answer 10

Yes its possible....Scientist speculate in some areas.. it could be instantaneous meaninig walls of ice could catch whole groups of people and wildlife off guard and freeze as they were doing every day things.