Earth Magnetic Field Reversals

[Bluespace]

Thanks Don. Edwards, (back here after a long time ) i just found that docu from PBS on Earth's Magnetic Field Reversal from a P2P(just finished the download, 594MB DVD rip)
was able to know more into this subject and our earth (eventhough left with some doubts )

If anyone is intrested in the source for download, you can send a PM to me with your e-mail address

bye, all of you, have a nice time

[WOWspaceISbig]

Well, now that we have the biological effects down, how about we speculate on the effect on our technology? From what I can see, our computers, TVs, etc. would be on the fritz for a little while, plunging us into an era of boredom and lack of technology, at least until we replace any magnetic components in major systems (assuming that the fears from Y2K about computer-reliant nuclear weapons wouldn't wipe us out instead, but that sounds pretty ridiculous to me anyway ).

[psCargile]

Having seen some small animations on NASA TV concerning solar flares and the magnetic field, and the aurora, my understanding (and I abbreviate it) is that the aurora is caused by charged particles from the sun traveling along field lines back to the earth and interacting with the atmosphere. These charges can induce a sufficiently strong electric field that can cause problems with electronics and can cause (and have caused) black-outs. So a very active sun can cause some problems at the higher latitudes.

And of course, it's obviously understood that the brunt of the solar wind is hitting the magnetic field perpendicular to the magnetic polar axis. What effect would there be on the magnetic field if the magnetic poles axis pointed into the solar wind? Would the field deflect more particles away, or channel more particles to the atmosphere, thus causing more electrical havoc?