Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Westward drift, core motions and exchanges of angular momentum between core and mantle

Nature volume 333, pages 353–356 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

The westward drift is one of the most well known features of the geomagnetic field. In this paper we come back to the apparent drift of the main field as seen at the Earth's surface, and show that there is no evidence for a body drift but rather clear evidence for a latitude-dependent drift. Computing the fluid flow at the core mantle boundary (CMB), in the frozen flux and geostrophic hypothesis, we also obtain, among other components, a clear differential zonal rotation of the fluid, symmetrical with respect to the Equator. This differential rotation changes with time, with a time constant of the order of 10 years. Dynamic considerations lead us to think that, during such a time interval, the change in the zonal toroidal flow inside the core consists of motions in which axial cylindrical annuli rotate rigidly about the Earth's axis of rotation. Then, for the 1969–85 time-span, the change in the core angular momentum is shown to balance the change in the mantle angular momentum.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bullard, E. C., Friedman C., Gellman, H. & Nixon, J. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A243, 67–92 (1950).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Yukutake, T. Bull. Earthquake Res. Inst. 40, 1–65 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yukutake, T. Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 24, 253–258 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Vestine, E. H., Laporte, L., Cooper, C., Lange, I. & Hendrix, W. C. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 578 (1947).

  5. McDonald, K. L. & Gunst, R. H. ESA technical report, 87 pp (1967).

  6. Hurwitz, L., Fabiano, E. B. & Peddie, N. W. J. geophys. Res. 79, 1716–1717 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Peddie, N. W. J. Geomagn. Geoelect., Kyoto 33, 607–611 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hide, R. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A259, 615–650 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Roberts, P. H. & Scott, S. J. Geomagn. Geoelect., Kyoto 17, 137–151 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Backus, G. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A263, 239–266 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Le Mouel, J. L. Nature 311, 734–735 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Le Mouel, J. L., Gire, C. & Madden, T. Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 39, 270–287 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Backus, G. & Le Mouël, J. L. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 85, 617–628 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hodder, B. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 65, 763–776 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Langel, R. A., Kerridge, D. J., Barraclough, D. R. & Malin S. R. J. Geomag. Geoelectr. Kyoto 38, 573–597 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Peddie, N. & Fabiano, E. J. Geomagn. Geoelect. Kyoto 34, 357–364 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Langel, R., Estes, R. & Mead, G. J. Geomagn. Geoelect., Kyoto 34, 327–349 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. IAGA Division I Working Group, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 85, 217–220 (1985).

  19. Peddie, N. W. & Zunde, A. K., Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 48, 324–329 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Golokov, V. P. & Kolomiitseva, G. I. Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 48, 320–323 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Quinn, J. M., Kerridge, D. J. & Barraclough, D. R., Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 48, 313–319 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Quinn, J. M., Kerridge, D. J. & Barraclough, D. R. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 87, 1143–1157 (1987).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Barraclough, D. R. & Kerridge, D. J. Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors 48, 306–312 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kahle, A. B., Vestine, E. H. & Ball, R. H. J. geophys. Res. 72, 1095–1108 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Taylor, J. B. Proc. R. Soc. A274, 274–283 (1963).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Le Mouel, J. L., Jault, D. & Gire, C. C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris (II) 305, 619–624 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Braginsky, S. I. Geomag. Aeron. 10, 3–12 (Engl. Trans pp (1–8)), (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Roberts, P. H. J. Geomagn. Geoelect., Kyoto 24, 231–259, 1972.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Rochester, M. G. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A252, 531–555, 1960.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hide, R. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A284, 547–554 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Runcorn, K. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A306, 261–270 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Stix, M. & Roberts, P. H. Phys. Earth planet. Interiors 36, 49–60 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Rosen, R. D. et al. Science, wash. 225, 411–414 (1984).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lambeck, K. The Earth's Variable Rotation: Geophysical Causes and Consequences (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1980).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  35. Feissel, M. & Gavoret, J. IUGG abstract, Vancouver, Aug. 1987.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Géomagnétisme, I P G P, 4 place Jussieu, 75232, Paris, France

    D. Jault, C. Gire & J. L. Le Mouel

Authors
  1. D. Jault
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Gire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. L. Le Mouel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jault, D., Gire, C. & Le Mouel, J. Westward drift, core motions and exchanges of angular momentum between core and mantle. Nature 333, 353–356 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/333353a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/333353a0

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing