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.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Geophysics

Same old magnetism

Latitudes at which ancient salt deposits occur show that Earth's magnetic field has always aligned along its rotation axis. One possible implication is that ancient global glaciations were not caused by a realignment of this axis.

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

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

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

Figure 1: Ancient evaporite.

R. H. Rainbird

References

  1. Evans, D. A. D. Nature 444, 51–55 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Gilbert, W. (transl. Mottelay, P. F. ) De Magnete (1600) (Dover, Mineola, NY, 1958).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Hospers, J. J. Geol. 63, 59–74 (1955).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Besse, J. & Courtillot, V. J. Geophys. Res 107, doi:10.1029/200JB000050 (2002).

  5. Williams, G. E. Earth Sci. Rev. 34, 1–45 (1993).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Torsvik, T. H. & Van der Voo, R. Geophys. J. Int. 151, 771–794 (2002).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wegener, A. (transl. Skerl, J. G. A. ) Origin of Continents and Oceans (Methuen, London, 1924).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Du Toit, A. L. Our Wandering Continents (Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh, 1937).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Muttoni, G. et al. Earth. Planet. Sci. Lett. 215, 379–394 (2003).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Irving, E. Same old magnetism. Nature 444, 43–44 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/444043a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/444043a

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