© 2018 B. L. Freeborn

In the last section the rotation of Earth’s outer crust was discussed and that what we experience as the North and/or South magnetic pole is located in this massive bulk comprising 45% of the Earth. It was suggested that in a large comet impact the outer crust will rotate on the inner core but will move only so far before it ‘locks’ into another stable magnetic position.

In the first image the round magnet sits at the edge of a flat magnet. Notice the tilted angle. The attraction here is so strong that it can pull the large flat magnet. When it is set at the center or pole of the flat magnet, it sits parallel to it as one expects. There it slides easily over its surface until it grabs at the edge as shown. This is its ‘next most stable position’ and definitely where the convergent and divergent magnetism forms the strongest bond.

A round magnet sits at an angle on the edge of a flat magnet.

In the next image of Earth notice that between the outer crust and outer semi-solid core there exists a layer that is considered to be highly viscous. It is proposed that this layer is the interface where the slippage of the outer crust occurs. Notice that it is directly below North 56.5 degrees of latitude. The Earth’s North-South line was severed in the impact as the outer core rotated. The opposite pole developed against the slip layer and it then ‘locked’ with the divergent magnetism of the inner core at North 56.5 degrees. It turned 33.5 degrees. The line of movement was along longitude West 79.2 degrees. The magnetic locking of the outer crust stopped it from rotating further and fortuitously allowed life to continue on Earth by assuring shifts in climatic zones overlapped to some extent.

The Earth’s magnetic poles shift with the outer crust and are realigned overtime by the Earth’s stable inner iron core.

The Magnetic North has moved significantly over the last few decades. It is now very nearly aligned with True North. The Magnetic South Pole is moving as well but at a slower pace.

The Earth is a magnificent structure that is able to absorb an impact from a large comet and minimize the damage. Its outer layers are able to rotate as if on a free axle which absorbs the energy of the impact. It then stops the rotation of its layers as they lock again magnetically.

Back to first post on magnetism.