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How do we affect the Earth's magnetic field...?

By Swapnil Patel

#006
We all like good directions in life. It hurts when we come to know that someone has shown us a wrong direction. That can really make us angry. But wait! What if I tell you that we ourselves are tending to show the wrong direction to us!? Well, we tend to but, we cannot do anything for such a matter.

Doesn't matter what we can do of it. The biggest question is, how do we do such an act?
Well, you think of it by the time I explain Earth's magnetic field.

Earth's Magnetic field

The core of Earth is formed of molten Iron, Nickel and traces of Cobalt and other few metals. In molten state, the metals get ionized or the outermost electrons get excited out of bounds of the metal atoms. Now, imagine these electrons and ions as free charges. Due to the rotation of Earth about it's axis causes even these charges to revolve around their axis. And as per Ampere's and Oesterd's laws, moving charges cause magnetic field in the direction of their axis. They work on the principles of current and magnetism and the field lines travel in the geographical south to north direction. That is how our magnetic compasses keep the directions regulated. The polarity of the magnetic compass keeps it in the direction of the magnetic field lines.

However, this good friend of us can literally "flip" upside down. That can happen suddenly if a mass large enough to switch the rotation of Earth to east to west direction hits us. Evidences show that such an event occured when Thea hit Earth forming the moon. But it only changed the position of the magnet poles by some kilometres only.

No force can flip the magnetic poles upside down as it would mean changing the orientation of all the iron and nickel ions inside the crust. That would require a lot of energy. But the orientation can literally tilt a bit in long term. Not so surprisingly, it is happening. Tje rotational influence on earth due to Jupiter and Sun and moon of course, changes the position of the poles by very small distances. That change is however very small and we are (all the creatures) are made to cope up that change.
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The human factor is however too small, but enough to increase the natural rate of position change.

How?

You are doing so right now. In front of your awesome machine sucking loads of electricity every passing moment, irrespective of it's mode of run(battery or a. c. current connection).

That electric connection is part of a huge electric grid covering the earth, made for human benefits. This acts as a loop carrying current and lo, it makes a magnetic dipole(small with respect to earth). Field due to such a dipole manipulates the orientation of ions in the core, very very slowly changing the position of the poles. Eve though negligible, the effect is too large compared to natural effects. Predicting the consequences of such an event is quite difficult.

However, as the human settlement is more nearer to the tropics compared to poles, the magnetic poles will be more closer to tropics in a few centuries. That would mean recalibration of all the compasses and GPS systems to the conventional position.

If unable to do so, we get the wrong directions.

Thankyou for reading,
Good Day.

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