Caffi Meyer Comps Presentation
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
3:10 pm
Olin 141
Journey to the Center of the Earth: An Exploration of Geodynamics
The Earth’s magnetic field has existed for nearly three and a half billion years and yet, the mechanism responsible for the generation of the field is still not well understood[1]. The dynamo effect, or, geodynamo, is a theory that attempts to explain the origin and mechanism behind the Earth’s self-sustaining magnetic field. My talk will begin with a brief history of geomagnetism and relate it to the structure of the Earth. I will then explain the basic concepts of dynamo theory broadly and in the context of Earth and discuss some computational and experimental dynamos. Finally, I will speak to some implications of the magnetic field for us on Earth and in relation to other planets. Throughout the talk, I will address the many challenges that geophysicists encounter when attempting to study Earth’s complex magnetic field.