Pacific Core-Flow Reversal Signals a More Dynamic Geodynamo
TL;DR
A broad region of liquid iron beneath the equatorial Pacific flipped from westward to eastward flow around 2010, revealing the outer core can change circulation more abruptly than previously thought. Using nearly 30 years of data from ground observatories plus ESA Swarm, CryoSat, CHAMP and Ørsted satellites, researchers traced how this flow reversal reshapes our view of the geodynamo and Earth's magnetic field. The finding raises questions about core–mantle–inner-core interactions and whether such reversals are temporary fluctuations or part of a longer cycle, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring.
Topics:scienceearth-science#earth-science#geodynamo#magnetic-field#outer-core#pacific-reversal#swarm-mission
- Scientists Baffled by a Sudden Reversal Deep Inside Earth’s Core SciTechDaily
- Earth’s inner core may have quietly reversed course: after decades of spinning slightly faster than the surface, seismic waves from repeating earthquakes show it slowed around 2010 and began drifting backward relative to the rest of the planet. Space Daily
- Deep Inside the Earth’s Molten Core, a Sudden ‘Reversal’ Now Has Scientists Searching for Answers The Debrief
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