Abstract
THE principal magnetic field of the Earth, often called the dipole field, is thought to be caused by a homogeneous dynamo action in the Earth's fluid core1. The flow pattern in the core is not known, and there is even controversy as to whether it is in a state of turbulence2 or whether the flow pattern is smooth and of a scale comparable with the circulation patterns in the atmosphere and oceans. If the flow is large scale and smooth it must be reasonably complicated, for the most simple flow patterns have too great a symmetry and have been shown definitely not to work as regenerative dynamos3–5.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hide, R., and Roberts, P. H., Phys. and Chem. of the Earth, 4, 27 (1961).
Malkus, W. V. R., Science, 160, 259 (1968).
Cowling, T. G., Mon. Not. Roy. Astr. Soc., 94, 39 (1933).
Elsasser, W. M., Phys. Rev., 69, 106 (1946).
Lortz, D., Phys. Fluids, 11, 913 (1968).
Braginskii, S. I., J. Exp. Theor. Phys. (USSR), 47, 1084 (1964) (transl. Soviet Phys. JETP, 20, 726 (1965).
Tough, J. G., Geophys. Roy. Astr. Soc., 13, 393 (1967).
Herzenberg, A., Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., A, 250, 543 (1958).
Bullard, E. C., and Gellman, H., Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., A, 247, 213 (1954).
Gibson, R. D., and Roberts, P. H., in The Application of Modern Physics to the Earth and Planetary Interiors (edit. by Runcorn, S. K.), 577 (Wiley London, 1969).
Lilley, F. E. M., Proc. Roy. Soc. A, 316, 153 (1970).
Nagata, T., J. Geomag. Geoelect., 21, 701 (1969).
Ball, R. H., Kahle, Anne, B., and Vestine, E. H., J. Geophys. Res., 74, 3659 (1969).
Hide, R., Phys. and Chem. of the Earth, 1, 94 (1956).
Doell, R. R., and Cox, A., J. Geophys. Res., 70, 3377 (1965).
Nagata, T., J. Geomag. Geoelect., 17, 263 (1965).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
LILLEY, F. Geomagnetic Reversals and the Position of the North Magnetic Pole. Nature 227, 1336–1337 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1038/2271336a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2271336a0
This article is cited by
-
Reversals of the Earth's Magnetic Field
Nature (1971)
-
Geomagnetic Field Reversals—a Link between Strength and Orientation of a Dipole Source
Nature Physical Science (1971)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.