eugene@ames-lm.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (06/06/84)
I do not know if the poles are 'scheduled' to reverse in 2000 AD, but
I can confirm they reverse. When the poles reverse, they affect the
magnetic orientation of rocks (the iron based minerals). This is
how continental drift was discovered. Basalts moving away from the
mid-Atlantic rift had their iron oriented in different directions at
differing times. It turns out the expansion away from the rift is symmetric!
They are also called "spreading centers or zones."
It was a beautiful piece of science! Perhaps someone at menlo70 or
seimso could elaborate more.
--eugene miya
NASA Ames Res. Ctr.
{hplabs,dual,menlo70,hao,research}!ames-lm!statvax!eugene