The origin of the Earth's magnetic field

Abstract

A theory is developed and a model described for a homogeneous axisymmetric generator of the geomagnetic field, based on the Nernst effect associated with a radially outward flow of heat from heat sources within the core region of the earth across an initial meridional magnetic field. The thermomagnetic e. m. f. drives a system of two azimuthal current shells in the core region, one nested inside the other, with the currents flowing in opposite directions. The current shells slowly expand radially. As the outer shell decays a new current shell develops inside the inner shell. The resultant magnetic field near and beyond the Earth’s surface approximates to a dipole field that undergoes repeated reversals. A rough estimate of the required magnitude of the Nernst coefficient indicates that the effect could be large enough to drive the generator. The generator does not violate Cowling’s theorem because the temperature gradient, which plays a part analogous to fluid velocity in conventional homogeneous fluid dynamo theory, has a non-zero divergence in regions where heat is being evolved.