Why do the poles reverse?

Question

Wired Magazine recently asked some "Big Questions" in the cover story. This is one of them.

Details:


http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/15.02/bigquestions.html?pg=3#poles

Answer 1

Nobody knows to my knowledge. I've heard theories ranging from a polar realignment of the earths core to the planet doing a 180 about the equator.

Answer 2

The magnetic field is formed by the liquid iron in the core spinning a little faster or slower than the solid Earth. The polarity of the field depends on which. The liquid core sloshes around a little over the eons, and when it goes from spinning faster than the solid part to slower, or visa versa, the polarity of the magnetic field flips.

Answer 3

As said above, nobody knows for sure.

However, one thing is that the sun's magnetic poles change much more frequently, and its magnetic forces are millions of times earth's. So, that may effect the Earth's polarity.

By the way, you do realise that it is only the magnetic poles that change, not the axial poles; that is, the Earth does NOT turn upside down.

Answer 4

there are magnitic poles under the oceans surface... every million years. a new pole forms... the poles decicdes whether it flips or not... if all the poles are in line and faceing north and one is formed and is faceing south... the poles flips