The chaotic magnetic field of the ancient Earth

The Earth once had more than two magnetic poles in the past and the magnetism of the magnetosphere was much weaker than that of the Sun today.

According to Mother Nature Network, the Earth today has two magnetic poles, one in the North and one in the South, but this arrangement is not true in the past.

Illustration of the ancient and present Earth's magnetic field.(Photo: Peter Driscoll).

In the Carnegie Institute of Science study, USA, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters on June 6, Earth's magnetosphere is completely different from the current period from 500 million years to a billion years ago. Many magnetic poles suddenly appear all over the world, causing chaotic magnetic fields, affecting the life of organisms.

"This finding could give an explanation for the strange changes in magnetic fields found in geological data about 600-700 million years ago," said Peter Driscoll, co-author of the study.

According to scientists, the Earth's polar magnetic field is created by the planet's liquid iron core revolving around a smaller solid core , but the inner core is not always solid. At one point in the history of Earth formation, the inner core undergoes a transition from a molten state to a solid state.

The magnetosphere protects the Earth, deflecting harmful high-energy particles from the Sun and the universe.(Photo: NASA).

Driscoll believed that this event took place about 500 million to a billion years ago, when the inner core began to harden, it destroyed the Earth's magnetic field. This chaotic phase lasts until the inner core becomes completely solid.

The results of the study significantly alter the Earth's geological history, especially magnetic measurements used to recreate the movements of ancient continents and climates. The magnetosphere is responsible for shielding harmful radiation from the Sun. In the past, magnetic fields including many magnetic poles capable of protecting the Earth were much weaker than today.