Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

A possible effect of ice ages on the Earth's magnetic field

Abstract

ICE ages and reversals of the Earth's magnetic field are two widely different geophysical phenomena; but they may be casually linked by the following mechanism. The moment of inertia of the Earth will be changed by variations in size of polar ice sheets and the resulting redistribution of water mass. To conserve angular momentum the Earth's rotation must therefore change. Calculations on the basis of a simple model then suggest that conditions at the core–mantle boundary may be perturbed in such a way as to affect the generation of the Earth's magnetic field.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Farrell, W. E. & Clark, J. A. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 46, 647–667 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Young, A. Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc., Geophys. supple. 6, 453–457 (1953).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Weertman, J. J. Glac. 5, 145–158 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. O'Connell, R. J. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 23, 299–327 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Munk, W. M. & MacDonald, G. J. F. The Rotation of the Earth (University Press, Cambridge, 1960).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Rochester, M. G., Jacobs, J. A., Smylie, D. E. & Chang, K. F. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 43, 661–678 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hide, R. Q. Jl. R. met. Soc. 96, 579–590 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. McElhinney, M. W. Palaeomagnetism and Plate Tectonics, (University Press, Cambridge, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bullard, E. & Gubbins, D. Geophys. Astrophys. Fluid dynamics 8, 43–56 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cox, A. J. Geophys. Res. 73, 3247–3260 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nagata, T. J. Geomag. Geoelec. 21, 701–704 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Parker, E. N. Astrophys. J. 158, 815–827 (1969).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kono, M. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 5, 140–150 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wollin, G., Ericson, D. B. & Wollin, J. Colloques Internationaux du C.N.R.S. No. 219, 273–288 (1974).

  15. Kent, D. V. & Opdyke, N. D. Nature 266, 156–159 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hays, J. D. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 82, 2433–2444 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Cox, A. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 13, 35–51 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Smith, A. G. & Briden, J. C. Mesozoic and Cenozoic Palaeocontinental Maps, (Cambridge University Press, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Barker, P. F. & Griffiths, D. H. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 279 B, 143–159 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Shackleton, N. J. & Kennett, J. P. in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (eds Kennett, J. P. et al.) 29, 743–755 (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Harrison, C. G. A. & Ramirez, E. J. Geomag. Geoelec. 27, 139–151 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DOAKE, C. A possible effect of ice ages on the Earth's magnetic field. Nature 267, 415–417 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267415a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267415a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing