Understanding What A Shift of the Poles Actually Means

As I read a lot of these topics being posted I see that there is a great deal of confusion on the subject of what will happen when the poles finally shift.

There is plate movement (plate tectonics) where the actual layers of crust move, and then there is a movement of the earth's poles such as we had almost a million years ago due to a change in magnetism of the minerals that are contained within the earth's magma flow.

Plate tectonics involves seismology and vulcanism. When the magma flow "bumps" a plate, or when a gap in the plate allows for magma plumes to surface you see a seismic or volcanic occurrence. When the polarity of the magma shifts you see an effect in weather. Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Extreme heat and extreme cold. Communication breakdown in the event of severe electrical charging.

Many people believe that the poles will shift in 2012 and are stating that this will cause the earth's crust to move. The way it is being described is a quick shift in the continental structure or energetic plate tectonics. There hasn't been a period (yet) in the earth's history where the plates shifted dramatically and quickly, so I am not alarmed that extreme mountain building will occur.

IF 2012 does bring a shift in polarity, then what we can expect is extreme high and lows in temperature. Super storm systems, and perhaps a new ice age. All this is worrisome indeed, but it is not what a lot of people are predicting. I read a post about what continents to move to as though the "wobble" of the earth will radically reverse and the entire planet will flip quickly and we all better live in New Zealand...or something like that.

Again, my geology knowledge is limited to an undergrad degree so feel free to correct me, but I think we should worry more about an impending ice age than seismic disruption.

I agree and think that the plates moving rapidly is highly improbable. My biggest question is what does this mean for electronics? Would they stop working correctly if the flow of electrons is reversed? is that even possible? From my flawed understanding, most electric motors would need to have their negative and positive leads switched over....

but back onto your original topic, I have one final question; would we be more unified if all the land masses came together like a pangea remix?

I also agree, pole shift is a natural phenomena that happens repeatedly over a great period of time. As for another ice age, that will happen too. Right now we are in what is called an "interglacial" period. I also believe that global warming is also a natural cycle although all we are doing is speeding up the process. We are not the only planet in our solar system that is becoming warmer either. And yes, it will get warmer.....then it will get a lot colder. Climate change around the world has a lot of people scared but again...its all part of mother earths natural cycle. We just need to start taking steps on being prepared for what she throws our way regarding temperature. The hard part about it is the different plant and animal life that may not be able to cope with any sudden change in the temperatures they are used to. As for human kind, we are very adaptable and will find a way as we have throughout our history on this planet.

Back to the pole shift......the north and south poles are in a constant state of movement. and even if the poles were to switch very quickly I have a hard time believing that it would cause widespread damage and destruction as a lot of posts here predict.

reply to post by drsmooth23


Well, theoretically the poles will be shifting through the next 1500 years, so we can adapt our technology (although I would almost wish for it to be all gone).

Originally posted by Rintendo

IF 2012 does bring a shift in polarity, then what we can expect is extreme high and lows in temperature. Super storm systems, and perhaps a new ice age.

There is little or no evidence or reason suggesting a polarity reversal would cause any of those effects. There have been attempts to link past reversals to mass extinctions and glacial periods but no relationships have been established.

As has been said, the geologic record shows that the past reversals have be gradual. There is a possibility that the Earth's magnetosphere would weaken or split up during the change but there is little reason to expect that in itself would be catastrophic. Our protection from solar and cosmic radiation is far more dependent on our atmosphere than our magnetosphere.


[edit on 12/12/2008 by Phage]

I see the reversing of the poles as an analogy for the world going from a materialistic to a more pantheistic mindset.

Hopefully its more of an archaic revival in the sense of a remembrance of our relationship to the stars, nature and each other.

Peace

reply to post by Phage


As with all science (including evolution) that occurs over what some estimate to be 4.5 billion years there can be only theories. However, there are prominent geological researchers like Singer and Hoffman who would conjecture otherwise. As my degree was undergrad and I have not spent my life's work engaged in geologic science as they have, I defer to them.

You, however, may disagree. My overarching point, however, was that there won't be this tumultuous upheaval with giant plates shifting quickly, or the earth teetering. At least, there is no evidence to suggest this. When people here "pole" reversal they think it is the actual physical masses of the North and South poles, not the magnetic fields.

EDIT: I am still not a 2012 believer. I happen to think the Aztecs were tired of tapping this calendar into stone and had to stop sometime. Should they have gone on forever with the calendar? I think they stopped at this particular calendar thinking their culture would survive, not anticipating the white man, and would create a new calendar when necessary.

Just at theory...

[edit on 12-12-2008 by Rintendo]

reply to post by Rintendo


I only disagree about your linking a magnetic pole reversal with extreme climactic changes. I know Singer and Hoffman (and others) are studying the mechanism of the reversals and nothing about that contradicts what I said, but I'm unfamiliar with the climatic connection.

[edit on 12/12/2008 by Phage]

reply to post by Rintendo


No Scientist has EVER observed a magnetic pole shift ever. It's a theory and a bad one at that as it would destroy the Earth. They do observe magnetism getting stronger or weaker ONLY, never a reversal of poles.

reply to post by theindependentjournal


Magnetic patterns in lava beds clearly show the history of magnetic reversals. There is no reason a magnetic reversal would "destroy the Earth".

Just because no scientist has been alive during an actual pole shift, doesn't mean that its going to be total disaster. Like I said before, the magnetic poles are in a constant state of movement, sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot, but that doesn't also mean its the cause of every natural disaster this world has had since the time of scientists walking the earth.

[edit on 12-12-2008 by QBSneak000]

Here's a link to a NASA page regarding a bit of the science behind the magnetic poles.

Pole Shift 1 (NASA)

there was a lot of discussion about this before and the truth is that no one really know. It can be something very mild, to something very life destroying for the earth and it's inhabitants. The changes could cause extreame weather conditions, especially if you have a rapid change vs a gradual change.

I know a lot of migratory animals, birds, whales etc rely on the Earths magnetic poles for their survival. Wouldn't a pole reversal mess up their breeding habits and cause them to end up at the wrong ends of the earth? Depending on the duration of the flip and their ability to adapt, surely this wouldn't be a good thing.

The Earth does not flip around like that which has been mentioned several times in this thread. There is too much inertial for it to do that. I think the biggest effects we would see would be increased sightings of auroras (not the plane).

reply to post by Toasty


I don't think the animals are entirely reliant on their built in compasses. Pigeons have them but they also use other cues for wayfinding.

It might be rough on the critters but as has been said, the evidence for past reversals shows that they occur over a span of thousands of years.

[edit on 12/15/2008 by Phage]

reply to post by Phage


Well if its over 1000's of years, then I guess we will have plenty of time to get used to it. Hopefully you're right about not having to rely on the magnetosphere too much, because I wouldn't want ours to be 'out of service' for 1000 years if it was our only defense against space radiation.

However since its already happened before, and life has seemingly continued to evolve without any noticeable 'jumps' across the millennia, i think we will be ok.

reply to post by Rintendo


I felt a mini shift just reading your OP. There is a spiritual side to this as well. Many people have been being prepped for years and can feel the shifts already from time to time.

Once while a major one I asked to noone in particular, what this is and recieved a sensory anwser which said it is to prepare you for the shifting of the earths axis. The frase had not even been coined yet.

Seriously, there is more to this than just the geological science.

Phage, according to our knowledge, how much of ionizing solar radiation is blocked/absorbed by our magnetosphere compared to our atmosphere (ionosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, cloud albedo, etc.)? I don't mean this rhetorically, but are we pretty certain of this ratio?

I would think if our magnetosphere's field strength/intensity were to diminish for just a few seconds during one of these pole reversals, (let alone minutes, days, weeks, etc.) it COULD put considerable strain on our atmosphere that MIGHT have detrimental effects for just about everything on this planet.

Another question... have there been sudden emergences of new species of plants and animals that correlate with pole reversals in Earth's history, at the evolutionary scale?

Originally posted by Flux8
Phage, according to our knowledge, how much of ionizing solar radiation is blocked/absorbed by our magnetosphere compared to our atmosphere (ionosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, cloud albedo, etc.)? I don't mean this rhetorically, but are we pretty certain of this ratio?

I would think if our magnetosphere's field strength/intensity were to diminish for just a few seconds during one of these pole reversals, (let alone minutes, days, weeks, etc.) it COULD put considerable strain on our atmosphere that MIGHT have detrimental effects for just about everything on this planet.

Another question... have there been sudden emergences of new species of plants and animals that correlate with pole reversals in Earth's history, at the evolutionary scale?

I can't give you a percentage. Consider this though; at the magnetic poles there is little protection provided by the magnetosphere but there is no great increase in cosmic intensity in the polar regions at the surface. There is however an increase at high altitudes.

There are charts here www.research.ibm.com... that provide levels of cosmic radiation intensity at various locations on Earth. For example; the "cosmic intensity" in Calgary is given as 2.63 (compared to New York City, it seems high but the elevation at Calgary is 3,400 feet). At Torreon, Mexico (elevation 3,708 feet) the intensity is 2.20. An increase of 16%. Notice that an increase in altitude has a far greater effect that an increase in latitude.

Unless there were a massive increase in the level of cosmic radiation itself (e.g. gamma burst), the atmosphere can handle the "load".

I know of no studies indicating a correlation between rates of speciation (or mass extinction) and magnetic reversals.