Latest news with #GermanResearchCenterforGeosciences
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sound of Earth's Flipping Magnetic Field Is an Unforgettable Horror
Earth's magnetic field dramatically flipped roughly 41,000 years ago. We can now experience this epic upheaval, thanks to a clever interpretation of information collected by the European Space Agency's Swarm satellite mission. Combining the satellite data with evidence of magnetic field line movements on Earth, geoscientists mapped the Laschamps event and represented it using natural noises like the creaking of wood and the crashing of colliding rocks. The resulting compilation – unveiled in 2024 by the Technical University of Denmark and the German Research Center for Geosciences – is unlike anything you've ever heard. Generated by the swirling liquid metals in our planet's core, Earth's magnetic field reaches tens to hundreds of thousands of kilometers into space, protecting us all by deflecting atmosphere-stripping solar particles. As the iron and nickel inside our planet shift, so does Earth's magnetic field, meaning the North (and South) Poles are also constantly on the move. Recently, the position of the magnetic North Pole was officially changed, as it continues its shift away from Canada and towards Siberia. In its current orientation, the magnetic field lines form closed loops that are directed south to north above the planet's surface, and then north to south deep within it. Yet every so often the field randomly flips its polarity. Were this to happen again today, our north-pointing compasses would point to the South Pole. The last such cataclysmic event occurred about 41,000 years ago, leaving a signature in the Laschamps lava flows in France. As the field weakened to only 5 percent of its current strength the reversal process allowed a surpluss of cosmic rays to pass into Earth's atmosphere. Ice and marine sediment preserve isotopic signatures of this higher-than-normal solar bombardment, with levels of beryllium-10 isotopes doubling during the Laschamps event, according to a study published last year. These altered atoms are formed when cosmic rays react with our atmosphere, ionizing the air and frying the ozone layer. With global climate change being a potential consequence, it's speculated the extinction of Australia's megafauna as well as changes in human cave use may have been associated with this event. "Understanding these extreme events is important for their occurrence in the future, space climate predictions, and assessing the effects on the environment and on the Earth system," German Research Center for Geosciences geophysics Sanja Panovska explained at the time. It took 250 years for the Laschamps reversal to take place and it stayed in the unusual orientation for about 440 years. At most, Earth's magnetic field may have remained at 25 percent of its current strength as the north polarity drifted to the south. Recent magnetic field anomalies like the weakening over the Atlantic ocean have led to questions about an impending reversal today, but recent research suggests these anomalies are not necessarily connected to flipping events. The South Atlantic anomaly is, however, exposing satellites in the area to higher levels of radiation. Since 2013, ESA's Swarm constellation has been measuring magnetic signals from Earth's core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere, and magnetosphere so we can better understand our planet's geomagnetic field and predict its fluctuations. An earlier version of this article was published in October 2024. World-First Study Reveals How Lightning Sparks Gamma-Ray Flashes The Universe Is 'Suspiciously' Like a Computer Simulation, Physicist Says Seismic Waves From Intense Storms Can Ripple Through Earth's Core
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Hans India
6.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Crete, Greece; Tsunami Warning Issued
A major earthquake has struck Greece, a European country. Authorities reported that the quake, which occurred off the coast, shook several parts of the country. Following the earthquake, which took place on Thursday morning (May 22), warnings have been issued for a possible tsunami. As a result, Greece and neighboring countries have declared an alert. According to the German Research Center for Geosciences, the earthquake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, struck off the coast of Crete. The US Geological Survey stated that the epicenter was 58 kilometers (35 miles) from the popular tourist destination of Yolanda, at a depth of 77 kilometers (48 miles). Official reports on potential loss of life or property damage have not yet been released. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre stated that, depending on the impact, a local tsunami of up to 100 kilometers is possible. If the impact is more severe, the tsunami could spread along a coastline of up to 1,000 kilometers. Series of Earthquakes Causing Alarm in Greece Authorities had already issued warnings following a major earthquake along the southern coast last week. On May 13, 2025, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Kos. Tsunami warnings were issued for the southern coast in response. That quake also caused structural damage in neighboring countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, and Israel.
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Tsunami alert activated for Greece after magnitude 6 earthquake
An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck off the coast of Crete in Greece. As per the German Research Center for Geosciences, the earthquake has now triggered a tsunami evaluation for the European nation. As per GFZ, the earthquake struck at a depth of 77km. As per ESMC, a tsunami risk is under evaluation. "Depending on earthquake-coastline distance, tsunamis can be local (<100km), regional (<1000km), or distant (>1000km)," stated the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. This is a developing story...
Reuters
01-05-2025
- Science
- Reuters
Earthquake of magnitude 5.83 strikes La Rioja Province, Argentina, GFZ says
May 1 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.83 struck La Rioja Province in Argentina on Thursday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ said. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter. Sign up here.
Reuters
23-04-2025
- Science
- Reuters
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes Seram, Indonesia region, GFZ says
April 20 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck the Indonesian island of Seram on Monday, the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ)said. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ said.
