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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in EnvironmentGlobal Warming · 1 decade ago

Can the so-called "global warming" we are experiencing be caused by the magnetic reversal of the poles?

I have been doing some research on the topic and I found out that it's been 750 000 years since the last switch and that it usually switches about every 500 000 years...so we are about due. Also, that it takes around 7000 years for the entire process to happen and during this time the magnetic fields(especially at the poles), is weaker and doesn't protect us as much from the sun and specifically from solar flares.

So is it possible that global warming may not be caused by man-made greenhouse gasses and it is just a natural cycle in the history of our planet every time the poles switch?

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    no

    the cause of GW is well established.

    magnetic pole reversal is wishful thinking to avoid responsibility.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    NO. First of all, we don't have any reason to suppose a magnetic field reversal would affect the Earth's temperature.

    Second, it hasn't happened yet--and an effect (global warming, in this case) cannot preced the cause (a hypothetical magnetic field reversal). That's one of the most basic--and absolute--basic laws of the universe.

    Third, such speculation is what is called an "ad hoc" hypothesis. That's a hypothesis put forth because the speaker refuses, for whatever reason, to accept proven facts. In this case, it has been proven global warming is real and is primarily caused by human beings. There is no debate--and all the "skeptics" that keep dreaming up alternative hypotheses only show their ignorance.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Contrary to other responders, there is a great deal of scientific debate about global warming. I will not go into all of it now, but some of the best climate scientists are skeptics - Roger Pielke, John Christy, Roy Spencer, Stephen Schwartz and on and on.

    Regarding magnetic reversal of the poles, no one has observed such a change so we do not know what may or may not precede such a reversal. This is not a theory many scientists will find appealing.

  • 1 decade ago

    The average pole reversal has an average interval of 250,000 years. Man has been recording temperature for a lot less time and the accuracy 150 years ago would be suspect as well. If I were dong a study on it. I’d try and see if temperature trend can be found through the study of tree rings. Then I would see if there is some correlation between hot and cold years and know pole reversals.

    Source(s): Wikipedia (free encyclopedia)
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  • 1 decade ago

    I see no connection between past magnetic reversals and ice ages, but I suppose it is possible.

    Our climate has been warming for the last 10,000 years or so, which is clearly natural. But just in the last 100 or so it has been warming much faster. Not super fast, but faster enough that careful measurements and record keeping can detect it. And the level of CO2 in the air started going up about 200 years ago, so there is an obvious relationship. CO2 is now 35% higher than 200 years ago and rising faster and faster every year as we burn more and more coal and oil. That HAS to be related to the small but detectable temperature rise.

  • 1 decade ago

    I wonder about "cycle", if you look at a watch, with hands that rotate, we say: "Cyclical, hands go around and around in 12-hour cycle." If you look at a digital clock, we also say "cyclical" but, somehow, not as obvious.

    If you consider the life of relatives, nobody says "cyclical" none lived more than one life.

    The motion of the clock hands makes apparent it is "cyclical". Digital clocks can take12 or 24-hours but, by analysis we can determine something is "cyclical".

    Take someone that bikes along the same street daily, one says "cyclical". But, imagine the driver moves out of town or is run over by a truck, we say: "not cyclical."

    You say temperatures have gone up and down in the past, therefore they will in the future. Like the biker, who drove up and down the same street until he got runover by a truck.

    To prove something that was cyclical, still is cyclical, we must see it, it must happen, we are only certain that in the PAST it WAS cyclical but do we really know the biker will come tomorrow, again? Do we know nothing changed and he will come back tomorrow, like always? The flu, maybe?

    Do we know ALL factors that kept something cyclical in the past, remain now and will remain in the future?

    Before you place too much faith and trust in the predicting abilities of others, remember the surprise of Astronomers had when Jupiter was bombarded? You do know any of them would have ended life on earth -as we know it.

    Yet, you predict the future with a certainty GREATER than those Astronomers that were totally surprised? Even if you knew more than all scientists together, your confidence on your predictions should be in doubt.

    We can imagine whatever we want, like magnetic reversal, solar spot activity, volcano eruptions that darken the sun and bring cooling for many years, like it happened in the past.

    All of this, and far more, could happen again and, if you are a religious, you may pray God that He bring one or more about so that we may avoid the, otherwise, inevitable, Global Warming until children bake while we burn candles in altars.

    Even if it happened in the past, what makes you so sure it will happen again? The Greeks had Oracles that examined entrails of birds, I trust you have a better predictor.

    Source(s): Shot in the dark.
  • cosmo
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    No. Both magnetic field reversal and GW are well understood phenomena, and they have little to do with each other. Magnetic field reversal does cause an increase in the evaporation rate of the atmosphere, but this is a small effect.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    i will say it once and only say it once. You cant predict future!!!!

    Hear Me GW belivers

    I like th idea of getting recycling and more eco friendly fuels for factorys(not cars)

    Remeber Y2K everyone freaked but it ended not big deal

    I mean come on remember when we thoguht we would have nueclear holocaust from russia and china well didnt happen

    You cant predict the future You never know bush could join the chinese and move to alantis!!! lol but seriously Smeone could dropp all kinds of nukes tommorrow or not you never know this might only last like 20 years and then it cools back down ive had enough of people saying they know what will hapen only god (what ever religoin you belive in or if you dont) knows what happens and what is going to happen

    Last words "Noone knows the future but all know the past"

  • PD
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Add this to the list of many other alternate theories with far less credibility than the most likely one - enhanced greenhouse effect

  • fyzer
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Unlikely, we would be getting more signs if that's what was happening.

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