Earth’s magnetic field is the vector field generated primarily by dynamo action in the liquid outer core, where convective motion of electrically conducting iron alloys induces and sustains a predominantly dipolar geomagnetic field. It extends from the core through the mantle and crust into space, forming the magnetosphere via interaction with the solar wind. The field is characterized by its intensity, inclination, and declination, and exhibits secular variation, westward drift, and polarity reversals on geological timescales. It governs charged particle dynamics in near-Earth space, shapes radiation belts, and constrains models of core dynamics and planetary evolution.
The liquid iron in Earth's outer core doesn't always behave as expected. When it changed direction in an unexplained way, ESA satellites provided data on the direction of flow, helping scientists gain better insight into ...
Planetary Sciences
May 22, 2026
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On a special night, if you are lucky, you might catch a faint red glow quietly lighting up Japan's sky, stretching low along the horizon and easy to miss if you are not looking carefully. Subtle and diffuse, it probably appears ...
Astronomy
May 20, 2026
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As married research professors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Dustin Gilbert and Anne Murray often discuss their work once they get home each night. Their fields of study rarely crossover. That changed six years ...
Evolution
May 13, 2026
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From navigation to solar weather forecasting, many different areas of research require space-based sensors to measure Earth's magnetic field as accurately as possible at any given moment. So far, however, existing sensors ...
When solar storms strike Earth, they can disrupt power grids, rail systems, satellites, and even marine life. These effects arise because solar wind and geomagnetic activity disturb the magnetosphere–ionosphere system, generating ...
Astronomy
May 6, 2026
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About 600 million years ago, the continents wandered Earth, yet to settle into their current positions. Their locations during the Ediacaran (as this time is called) have been tough for scientists to pin down. Earth's magnetic ...
Earth Sciences
May 5, 2026
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Our planet rests inside a magnetic cocoon filled with plasma—but it's not always peaceful and quiet. Activity from the sun can send waves through this space, and some of those disturbances can even reach Earth, affecting ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 17, 2026
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Magnetic rocks with iron oxide concentrations act as natural chroniclers of Earth's past continental movements. Using small samples of rocks, scientists can isolate magnetic grains that were frozen in orientation as the rock ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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Scientists are working to understand how magnetic currents from the sun spread beneath Earth's crust when the northern lights dance across the sky. Their goal is to tame its "dark twin" and prevent damage to our power grid.
Planetary Sciences
Mar 27, 2026
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High-energy particles called galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) bombard unprotected objects in space, often causing damage. Earth, however, is protected by its magnetic field, which creates a protective shell around the planet that ...
