PBS Nova: "Magnetic Storm"

[Boomer]

On March 13, 1989, the lights went out all across Canada and the eastern seaboard of the United States as far south as New York. The most serious power grid failure in American history was caused by a magnetic storm in the earth's upper atmosphere, itself triggered by the eruption of a huge flare from the surface of the Sun. Unusual as this event may seem, many scientists today are beginning to worry that it may be a harbinger of things to come, and that changes to the planet's magnetic field could make earth ever more vulnerable to deadly radiation from space. This film explores one of the least- known but most serious threats to life on earth.

Air Times (may vary by location - check your local listings):
Tuesday, July 13, 2004 08:00 PM (channel: MPT)
Thursday, July 15, 2004 12:30 AM (channel MPT)

[iamjoy]

1. Another Thing To Worry About

In 1859 there was a solar storm.
It disrupted telegraph lines across the United States.
Supposedly, the aurora could be seen as far south as Havana (yes, Cuba)

It would seem the sun goes through cycles of greater activity. I will have to watch the show out of simple curiosity, but wonder if it is really anything to worry about.

[Massacure]

2. I've heard that every couple thousands years the Earth's poles reverse

The magnetic field becomes virtually non existant when it is happening.

[Oggy]

3. It is weakening at the moment

but the last thing I read on the subject ( sorry no links ), suggested it may take another thousand years until it disappears.

[Boomer]

4. Pole shift

That's one of the main reasons I'm watching this show -- to learn more about the consequences of a pole shift.

As one of the show's clips revealed "It's not a matter of 'if', just a matter of 'when'." I've been hearing for years now that there are some ominous signs that could point to an upcoming pole shift. Of course, given geological time, even an "imminent" event might be hundreds of years away. Still, I'm curious.

[Massacure]

5. Life has survived pole shifts before.

[happyslug]

6. Some Web Sites

In about 1000 years the magnetic field will downgrade to Zero (It has been downgrading for Centuries). The question is what will happen? Most scientists think something will happen while before 1000 years as the field further weakens, for example the Magnetic Fields keep out radiation from the Sun. Exposure to that Radiation may kill of all life forms. Also, based on sea board flows in the Atlantic we know this occurs roughly every 25,000 years at the end the poles reverse. What will this have on our electronics?

http://www.psc.edu/science/Glatzmaier/glatzmaier.html

http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/news/2002/041802mag_flip.shtml

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994985

http://www.iceagenow.com/Magnetic_Reversal_Chart.htm

http://www.geomag.bgs.ac.uk/reversals.html

http://www.grandunification.com/hypertext/Magnetic_Polarity_Flips.html

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/

Reversals on the Sun:
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2002/june12/solarmagnet-612.html