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Science 12 May 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5775, p. 809
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5775.809d
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This Week in Science

Figure 1 The strength of the Earth's magnetic field has decayed since accurate measurements began in 1840, and these changes have led to speculation that the field will disappear or reverse within this millennium. Extrapolating to earlier times has been difficult, in that direct measurements, which extend back another 250 years, recorded only direction, and there paleomagnetic data that has been extracted from rocks and archaeological artifacts is limited. Gubbins et al. (p. 900; see the Perspective by Kono) have devised a method to use paleointensity measurements in conjunction with directional information to extend the record of the Earth's magnetic field back to 1590. Contrary to the recent steep decline, they find that the dipole moment fell hardly at all until around 1800.

CREDIT: GUBBINS ET AL.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)