Main Area and Open Discussion > Living Room

Magnetic North Pole migration seems to be accelerating.

<< < (4/5) > >>

barney:
  If the earth flipped polarity, wouldn't that make electrical motors run backwards?   :P
-Tinman57 (June 04, 2013, 06:14 PM)
--- End quote ---

If so, would that mean that Tesla vehicles would have several speeds backward, one (1) speed forward  :-\?

AndyM:
Won't compasses be affected?

barney:
Won't compasses be affected?
-AndyM (June 04, 2013, 09:32 PM)
--- End quote ---

There's been debate on that aspect.  Some say that the reversal - assuming it occurs - would have no long-term effect, as the poles will completely reverse.  Others argue that North and South will be completely reversed, but the overall effect would be minuscule.  And there have been a few complaining about the current traversal radically changing the difference 'tween true and magnetic north.  Since any navigator is aware of that existing difference, 'twould be simply a matter of making appropriate adjustments.  That's a simplistic description, but I don't have the math to understand significant parts of the arguments.

Basically, the arguments have become that you can still find your way through Yellowstone Park, but you might end up at the wrong port if you're making a sea passage from one (1) continent to the other.  Mostly, the theorists agree that it won't affect air travel, since radar will pretty make up the difference.

I don't know that I countenance any of the positions espoused ... just have to wait and see (and hope the doomsayers are as incorrect as usual  ;)).

IainB:
I gather that some people are understandably very worried that the poles flipping like that will mean that, if one lives in the Northern hemisphere, then one will suddenly be whisked to the Southern hemisphere, and vice versa - without any warning or a by your leave - and to top it off there is a potential risk that one might catch a nasty dose of sunburn as the bit of the planet one is standing on momentarily passes through the Equator, or something.
It's enough to give anyone a sleepless night.

Tinman57:
  There's "True North" and "Magnetic North".  If the poles reversed, compasses would still work, just in reverse, North would be South.  Magnetic North, depending on where you live in the world, is off by so many degrees.  If memory serves since I was in flight school, anywhere from 2 to 7 degrees.  Here where I live it's off positive 4 degrees.  If polarity reverses, True North and Magnetic North would be opposite, which would take quite a bit more calculations along with the confusion.....

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page