What happens during a reversal? What do we see at the Earth's surface?

As above, we have limited evidence from geological measurements about the patterns of change in the magnetic field during a reversal. We might expect to see, based on models of the field run on supercomputers, a far more complicated field pattern at the Earth's surface, with perhaps more than one North and South pole at any given time. We might also see the poles 'wandering' with time from their current positions towards and across the equator. The overall strength of the field, anywhere on the Earth, may be no more than a tenth of its strength now.

[link to www.geomag.bgs.ac.uk]
Sun Poles
Passing through more often could cause more turbulent space weather, potentially leading to disruptions in satellite transmissions and telecommunications equipment. On the other hand, the current sheet also blocks high-energy cosmic rays that arrive from other areas of the galaxy, so a more wavy sheet could provide satellites and astronauts in space more robust protection from harmful radiation.

Additionally, the magnetic field reversal coincides with the maximum of other solar activity, which means a greater number of sunspots, more powerful solar flares, brighter aurorae and more frequent coronal mass ejections. Most of these events have little or no effect on Earth, but an especially powerful flare or plasma ejection aimed in the right direction could knock out Earth-based telecommunications systems. At the same time, this solar cycle has been especially weak—NASA solar physicist David Hathaway called it “wimpy” in an interview with Scientific American—so there’s not a ton to worry about with this particular reversal.

[link to blogs.smithsonianmag.com]


some down time reading wishing everyone a great day