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Earth science

Geomagnetic reversals

Nature volume 452, pages 165–167 (2008)Cite this article

Earth's magnetic field is unstable. Not only does it vary in intensity, but from time to time it flips, with the poles reversing sign. Much of this behaviour remains a mystery, but a combination of geomagnetic observations with theoretical studies has been providing enlightenment.

Has Earth always had a magnetic field?

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Figure 1: Earth's magnetic field.
Figure 2: Magnetic field at the surface of Earth's core.
Figure 3: Magnetic stripes on the ocean floor.
Figure 4: Reversal timescale.
Figure 5: Excursions.
Figure 6: Computer models of Earth's dynamo.

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  1. David Gubbins is in the School of Earth Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. gubbins@earth.leeds.ac.uk,

    David Gubbins

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  1. David Gubbins
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Gubbins, D. Geomagnetic reversals. Nature 452, 165–167 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/452165a

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