quote:
Originally posted by Percipient:
Coe and Prevot didn't measure an actual field reversal, just an astonishingly rapid change in the angle of the dipole. This anomalous result isn't consistent with current understanding of the internal physics of the earth. Whether or not the Coe/Prevot finding stands the test of time, at best from a Creationist standpoint it indicates that the change from one direction to its opposite can be incredibly rapid, perhaps just a few weeks. But independent of the rapidity of the change, the radiometric data indicate the time between dipole reversals averages 200,000 years.
--Percy
Joe is best qualified to talk on this, since he has met one of the authors, but from memory, the effect occurred at an actual polarity reversal, when the flux was at or near zero (kind of like standing at the north pole with a compass, with the needle swaying in any direction). The phenomenon isn't well understood, but (again from memory), theoretically occurs whenever the earth actually does change N/S polarity, & the flux is at or near zero at any particular point. It most certainly doesn't indicate rapid, sudden polarity reversals (ie north pole becoming south)
This was my understanding, & I stand to be corrected.
Regardless, Prevot & Coe aren't happy with the creationist misinterpretation.
Mark
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Occam's razor is not for shaving with.
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