The following images and animations show views of a snapshot from a 3D time dependent computer simulation of convection and magnetic field generation in the Earth's liquid core that spans over 80,000 years. The simulation took several thousand cpu hours on the Cray C-90. Magnetic field lines show the direction and intensity of the generated magnetic field. Lines are colored gold where the field is directed outward and blue where it is directed inward.

animation by G.Foss, PSC
select the image for a fly-by animation (mpeg - 6.2meg)

At about 36,000 years into the simulation the magnetic field reversed its dipole polarity over a period of only 1200 years. The image below is from an animated sequence showing how the field's structure changed.

animation by G.Foss, PSC
play the reversal animation (mpeg - 1.62meg)

The following animation uses the same view as above but with a globe added for reference. Thanks to NOAA/National Geophysical Data Center, Boulder, Colorado for the Earth map.

animation by G.Foss, PSC
play the animation (mpeg - 1.05meg)

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