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Science 13 December 1996:
Vol. 274. no. 5294, pp. 1887 - 1891
DOI: 10.1126/science.274.5294.1887
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Reports

Rotation and Magnetism of Earth's Inner Core

Gary A. Glatzmaier * and Paul H. Roberts

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the geodynamo suggest that a superrotation of Earth's solid inner core relative to the mantle is maintained by magnetic coupling between the inner core and an eastward thermal wind in the fluid outer core. This mechanism, which is analogous to a synchronous motor, also plays a fundamental role in the generation of Earth's magnetic field.

G. A. Glatzmaier, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA. E-mail: gag{at}lanl.gov
P. H. Roberts, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. E-mail: roberts{at}math.ucla.edu
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed.

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