Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Earth's Inner Core Rotation Slower Than Estimated

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-get-dizzy dept.

intellitech writes "Scientists at the University of Cambridge believe they have achieved the first accurate estimate of how much faster Earth's core is rotating compared to the rest of the planet. The rate — about one degree every million years — is much slower than previously thought and arises from the complex dynamic between Earth's inner and outer core, which generates Earth's geomagnetic field. Without our magnetic field, Earth's surface would not be protected from charged particles spewing from the Sun, and life would not be able to exist."

11 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. oh GAWD NO! by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Funny

    we have to quickly assemble a team to tunnel to the center of the Earth with nuclear bombs to restart the core's rotation!

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:oh GAWD NO! by MikeDirnt69 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Jokes

      --
      Am I eval()? - http://www.monst3r.com.br
  2. Or ... by PPH · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Earth's surface would not be protected from charged particles spewing from the Sun, and life would not be able to exist.

    ... life would have evolved in such a manner or in a location so as to tolerate the particle flux. In the ocean, for example.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Or ... by kabloom · · Score: 5, Funny

      You mean... "God would have created us in such a manner or in a location so as to tolerate the particle flux. In the ocean, for example." Right?

    2. Re:Or ... by spun · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Wafers. I tried him once, at a friend's cannibalistic Sunday religious ceremony, and God tastes like cardboard wafers.

      --
      - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    3. Re:Or ... by blair1q · · Score: 3, Informative

      Venus' atmosphere is heavier (almost all CO2) and is constantly replenished by outgassing at the 800F surface.

      Venus also does have a magnetic field large enough to disperse the solar wind.

  3. Life is more robust than that... by mpthompson · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It bothers me how often I hear absolutes with regards to "If not for XXX, life would not exist on Earth." Life has proven to be a lot more robust than such simple statements imply. Certainly, without a magnetic field, life on Earth would look a lot different than it does today as it would have adapted to a much different environment, but it would most certainly still exist with all other things being equal.

    1. Re:Life is more robust than that... by M8e · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, Earth's rotating inner hardcore.

    2. Re:Life is more robust than that... by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Informative

      "What oceans?
      No magnetic field means there's nothing to stop solar winds from stripping earth of it's atmosphere.
      With no atmospheric pressure, the oceans would boil at 0C (and the water vapor would then be blown off into space too)."

      Let me fix that for you.

      Wild speculation has it that our atmosphere will be stripped off without a magnetic field. Most experts now disagree as Venus is proof that that is not true. Venus uses a ionopause (as does Mars) but it is generated a different way than Earth's magnetic field. Mars is a special instance because something catastrophic happened at one point. The atmopshere had enough pressure to hold liquid water (it can now, but only in low lying areas or short amounts of time), enough for oceans. What kind of atmosphere makes a difference too. Hydrogen verses carbondioxide for example.

      The magnetic field does more by keeping us from getting cooked by radiation than anything else.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  4. mmmmmm, bacon.... by Thud457 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've always wondered what god tastes like...

    bacon, obviously

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  5. Deinococcus radiodurans by circletimessquare · · Score: 3, Informative

    Deinococcus radiodurans takes your puny solar radiation, chews on it, and spits it out as not worthy of food. Go ahead, try and kill me!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it