Earth's Magnetic Field - Earth Discover

Main image: Illustration of the Earth's magnetosphere (blue lines) shielding against the solar wind (orange, at left) and protecting life from radiation. Inset: Margie Kivelson in 2017.

1984: Margaret Kivelson and Earth’s Magnetosphere

Margaret Kivelson's research on Earth's magnetosphere and other planetary magnetic fields has significantly advanced our understanding of these complex systems

As new seafloor is formed by volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges, the magnetic field polarity of Earth at that time gets preserved in magnetic minerals within the volcanic rocks. As the seafloor moves away from the ridges, it serves as a geological "tape recorder," showing variations in magnetic polarity over time.

1963: Unraveling Earth’s Magnetic Mysteries – The Study of Reversing Polarity

Researchers in geophysics and paleomagnetism, like Motonori Matuyama and Lawrence Morley, have discovered Earth's magnetic field reversals, revealing crucial insights into seafloor spreading and plate tectonics