Khaberni - Magnetic markers preserved within the rocks reveal secrets of continental motion and the evolution of Earth's magnetic field through the ages, but the geological record for some time periods has puzzled scientists.
In a recent study, an international research team led by Yale University managed to solve the mystery of the Ediacaran period, which spanned from 540 to 630 million years ago, where the magnetic data from rocks of that era indicated inexplicable fluctuations, as if the continents were moving at unimaginable speeds across the planet's surface.
After meticulous layered analysis of volcanic rocks from the Lesser Atlas Mountains in Morocco, the researchers made a stunning discovery: it wasn’t the continents that were moving at frenetic speeds, but rather the Earth's magnetic field itself was undergoing a phase of extreme chaos and disturbance.
The unprecedented precision in the analysis allowed for the precise dating and location of magnetic shifts, revealing that these transitions were occurring over thousands of years only, and not millions of years as previously thought.
Professor David Evans, a geologist from Yale, explains: "We propose a new model for the Earth's magnetic field that focuses on the underlying structure behind its fluctuations, rather than considering them merely random changes. We have developed a new statistical method to analyze ancient magnetic data from the Ediacaran age, which we believe will enable us to draw accurate maps of the continents and oceans during that era."
The study also ruled out previous theories, including the idea of true polar wander, as comparison of the data with sedimentary rocks formed over longer periods showed that the magnetic poles did not undergo radical shifts during the Ediacaran age.
These findings open a new window into understanding the evolution of life on Earth, as the Ediacaran period witnessed the emergence of the first complex life forms, at a time when the Earth's magnetic field was undergoing a period of severe disturbance.
These discoveries may contribute to drawing a clearer picture of the history of plate tectonics over billions of years, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the planet we live on.
