[ad_1]
New research has concluded that a period of global unrest 42,000 years ago was the result of a reversal of Earth’s magnetic field.
According to the radiocarbon preserved in the rings of ancient trees, several centuries of climate collapse, massive extinctions and even changes in human behavior may be linked to the last time the Earth’s magnetic field changed its poles.
The research team named the Period of the Adams Transition Geomagnetic Event, or Adams Event, after science fiction writer Douglas Adams, who said number 42 was the ultimate answer to life, to the universe and everything.
Earth scientist Chris Tierney from the University of New South Wales in Australia said: “For the first time, we were able to accurately determine the timing and environmental impacts of the last magnetic pole change. The results are made possible with the ancient New Zealand kauri, which have been preserved in sediment for over 40,000 years. “Using ancient trees, we can measure and date the rise in radiocarbon levels in the atmosphere caused by the collapse of the Earth’s magnetic field. “
Read more
This last period of magnetic reversal is known as the “Laschamp” event, which we call geomagnetic flight. This happens when the magnetic poles of the planet briefly change places before returning to their original positions. It is one of the most studied events in the Earth’s magnetic field, recorded by magnetic minerals.
This happened about 41,000 years ago and lasted about 800 years. The impact of this event on life on the planet was not clear, so when scientists discovered an ancient kauri (Agathis australis) in 2019, which was alive at the time, they took the opportunity to know more. This is because trees register atmospheric activity in their annual growth rings. In particular, carbon 14 or radiocarbon can reveal a lot of information about celestial activity.
Radiocarbon is only found on Earth in trace amounts compared to other naturally occurring carbon isotopes. It forms in the upper atmosphere under the bombardment of cosmic rays from space. When these rays enter the atmosphere, they interact with local nitrogen atoms to trigger a nuclear reaction that produces radiocarbon.
And because cosmic rays are constantly traveling through space, Earth receives a fairly constant supply of radiocarbon. Therefore, the increase in radiocarbonate in tree rings tells us that the Earth has been exposed to the most radiocarbon during this year.
When the Earth’s magnetic field weakens, as was the case during the “La Champagne” event, more cosmic rays enter the atmosphere to produce more radiocarbon. For this reason, scientists were previously able to confirm the weakening of the Earth’s magnetic field to about 28% of its natural strength over a period of 800 years.
However, the kauri tree allowed the research team to study the years leading up to the Laschamp event. They discovered that the Adams event occurred about 42,200 years ago and that the magnetic field was at its weakest point before the Laschamp event.
“The Earth’s magnetic field fell between 0 and 6% only during the Adams event. We had no magnetic field – the cosmic radiation shield is completely gone, ”Tierney explained.
During this time, the sun’s magnetic field also weakened on several occasions, as it also underwent magnetic reflection as part of its normal cycle. These times see less sunspot activity and glare, but the sun’s magnetic field also provides the Earth with some protection from cosmic rays – so during these lower limits of the sun, cosmic ray bombardment would have to again increased.
Read more
This weak magnetic field could have resulted in major changes to the Earth’s ozone layer, with catastrophic consequences, including electrical storms, amazing auroras and climate change around the world.
The lack of filtering of radiation from space tore air particles in Earth’s atmosphere, separating electrons and emitting light – a process called ionization. Ionizing air ‘boils’ the layer of ‘ozone, causing a wave of climate change around the world, “he said.
This is in line with climate and environmental changes since that time that have been observed in other documents around the world, such as the mysterious extinction of megafauna in Australia.
Oddly enough, this also coincides with some of our earliest recorded rock art, leading researchers to speculate that the Adams event could have pushed humans inward.
“This sudden change in behavior in very different parts of the world is consistent with the increasing or changing use of caves during the Adams event,” the researchers write in their paper, “perhaps as a shelter from the increase in potentially harmful UV rays. “
It’s a bit of speculation, of course, but it indicates that a geomagnetic reversal could be a dangerous event that will change the world. Recent evidence indicates that we are now on the brink of another.
Researchers say it could be entirely catastrophic in today’s climate.
“Our atmosphere is already filled with carbon to levels never before seen by mankind,” Torne said. “The reversal of the magnetic pole or the extreme change in the activity of the sun will be a factor causing unprecedented climate change. We urgently need to reduce carbon emissions before such a random event happens again. . “.
The research was published in a journal Science.
Source: ScienceAlert
[ad_2]
Source link
