00:00Earth's magnetic field protects us from harmful particles in the solar wind.
00:12It extends deep into space, but is generated deep within our planet.
00:20By using satellites to measure fluctuations in the magnetic field,
00:24scientists are gaining new insights into Earth's interior.
00:29Unlike fixed observatories on Earth's surface,
00:32satellites can measure the magnetic field both globally and in great detail.
00:37The magnetic field is generated by swirling liquid iron in the outer core,
00:41which acts like a giant dynamo.
00:44Measurements from ESA's swarm satellites have revealed a new type of wave motion
00:48mapped at the core mantle boundary.
00:55The wave oscillates around every seven years,
00:58propagating westward at 1,500 kilometers a year.
01:08Combining these observations with a computer model of the geodynamo
01:11explains the source of magnetic field variations initially detected on the ground.
01:16the magnetic field from deep in the fluid core.
01:26Future measurements from space could help us understand more about the electrical properties of the lower mantle
01:29and about the magnetic field from deep in the fluid core.
01:44This research has important implications for our understanding of the geodynamo,
01:47the structure of the outer core, and the thermal history of Earth.
01:59The
02:10of the
02:11of the
02:12of the
02:13of the
02:14You
Comments