Does Earths magnetic field flip?
Background Paleomagnetism is the study of Earth’s ancient magnetic field. Volumes of experimental data indicate that Earth has always had a magnetic field that was oriented parallel to its rotational axis. Paleomagnetism works because magnetic minerals become oriented parallel to Earth’s magnetic field under certain conditions. It’s liking taking a compass and locking it into position. Everyone knows that the only thing a compass does is point to the North Magnetic Pole. All of my research in the Andes and Trinidad deals with magnetostratigraphy, a branch of paleomagnetism. An understanding of the basic ideas of paleomagnetism was crucial to our acceptance of the plate tectonics model. Here’s why: Thermal Remenant Magnetization The mineral magnetite (Fe3O4) is a magnetic igneous mineral but at high temperatures (>565º C) it is not magnetic. When it cools to 565º C, the Curie temperature, it acquires magnetism that is parallel to Earth’s magnetic field. We call this Thermal Remanent Mag
