Shannon information of the geomagnetic field for the past 7000 years

Abstract. The present behaviour of the geomagnetic field as expressed by the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) deserves special attention when compared with that shown over the past few thousands of years by two paleomagnetic/archeomagnetic models, CALS3K and CALS7K. The application of the Information theory in terms of Shannon Information and K-entropy to these models shows characteristics of an instable geomagnetic field. Although the result is mitigated when we correct the CALS7K model for its typical spectral damping, the present geomagnetic field as represented by IGRF is still rather distinct, at least for the past 4000 years, a result that is further confirmed by the CALS3K model. This is consistent with a significant global critical state started at around 1750, and still present, characterised by significant decays of the geomagnetic dipole, energy and Shannon information and high K-entropy. The details of how these characteristics may develop are not clear, since the present state could move toward an excursion or a geomagnetic polarity reversal, but we cannot exclude the possibility that the "critical" behaviour will become again more "normal", stopping the apparent trend of the recent geomagnetic field decay

Equivalent monopole source of the geomagnetic South Atlantic Anomaly

The South Atlantic magnetic Anomaly (SAA) is an important feature of the present geomagnetic field. In this paper we model the space-time evolution of this anomaly for the last 400 years in terms of the resultant between a decrease of a global axial dipole and an increase of a virtual local monopole source. Some characteristics of this evolution are investigated and some considerations are made on the light of a possible special state of the global geomagnetic field dynamical regime. Among the possible speculations, one is made regarding the topography of the core-mantle boundary (CMB) and its possible aspect underneath the SAA region in terms of simple sinusoidal undulations met by the monopole source during its centennial motion

Geosystemics: a systemic view of the Earth’s magnetic field and possibilities for an imminent geomagnetic transition

Geosytemics is a way to see and study the Earth in its wholeness, together with the eventual couplings among the subsystems composing our planet. This paper will provide this view for the Earth’s magnetic field, reviewing most of the results obtained in our recent works. The main tools used by geosystemics are some nonlinear quantities, such as some kinds of entropy. Through them, it is possible to: a) establish the chaoticity and ergodicity of the recent geomagnetic field in a direct and simple way; b) indentify the most extreme events in its history, as the most rapid and the slowest ones, i.e. jerks and polarity changes (reversals or excursions). In particular, regarding the latter phenomena, with the help of these entropic concepts and together with the use of the theory of critical transitions, some clues can be given for a possible imminent change of the geomagnetic field dynamical regime

Shannon information of the geomagnetic field for the past 7000 years

The present behaviour of the geomagnetic field as expressed by the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) deserves special attention when compared with that shown over the past few thousands of years by two paleomagnetic/archeomagnetic models, CALS3K and CALS7K. The application of the Information theory in terms of Shannon Information and K-entropy to these models shows characteristics of an instable geomagnetic field. Although the result is mitigated when we correct the CALS7K model for its typical spectral damping, the present geomagnetic field as represented by IGRF is still rather distinct, at least for the past 4000 years, a result that is further confirmed by the CALS3K model. This is consistent with a significant global critical state started at around 1750, and still present, characterised by significant decays of the geomagnetic dipole, energy and Shannon information and high K-entropy. The details of how these characteristics may develop are not clear, since the present state could move toward an excursion or a geomagnetic polarity reversal, but we cannot exclude the possibility that the “critical” behaviour will become again more “normal”, stopping the apparent trend of the recent geomagnetic field decay

Are we going towards a global planetary magnetic change?

The dipolar part of the geomagnetic field has been decaying rapidly during the last few hundreds of years. In addition to this classical argument, from Information theory applied to geomagnetism, there are some evidences that the recent Earth magnetic field is showing characteristics typical of a reversal in progress. If this is true, many scientific and environmental questions will arise. For instance, it will be of particular interest to monitor the time-space dynamics the South Atlantic Anomaly, where the magnetic field is strongly reduced (a sort of "planetary magnetic hole"). Here we find one of the most favourite places where Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites are lost or present some damages, due to the vicinity of "clouds" of electric particles (Van Allen belts) to the Earth's surface. The decay of the field will also decrease the screening effect to the solar wind and cosmic charges, so enhancing the cosmic radiation illuminating our planet: possible negative consequences are expected in terms of increase of skin cancers. Also important will be the study of the possible evolution of the core dynamics that will be generating this specific condition of the geomagnetic field

Repeat-station surveys: implications from chaos and ergodicity of the recent geomagnetic field

The present geomagnetic field is chaotic and ergodic: chaotic because it can no longer be predicted beyond around 6 years; and ergodic in the sense that time averages correspond to phase-space averages. These properties have already been deduced from complex analyses of observatory time series in a reconstructed phase space [Barraclough and De Santis 1997] and from global predicted and definitive models of differences in the time domain [De Santis et al. 2011]. These results imply that there is a strong necessity to make repeat-station magnetic surveys more frequently than every 5 years. This, in turn, will also improve the geomagnetic field secular variation models. This report provides practical examples and case studies

Toward a possible next geomagnetic transition ?

The geomagnetic field is subject to possible reversals or excursions of polarity during its temporal evolution. Considering that: (a) in the last 83 million yr the typical average time between one reversal and the next (the so-called chron) is around 400 000 yr, (b) the last reversal occurred around 780 000 yr ago, (c) more excursions (rapid changes in polarity) can occur within the same chron and (d) the geomagnetic field dipole is currently decreasing, a possible imminent geomagnetic reversal or excursion would not be completely unexpected. In that case, such a phenomenon would represent one of the very few natural hazards that are really global. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a great depression of the geomagnetic field strength at the Earth’s surface, caused by a reverse magnetic flux in the terrestrial outer core. In analogy with critical point phenomena characterized by some cumulative quantity, we fit the surface extent of this anomaly over the last 400 yr with power law or logarithmic functions in reverse time, also decorated by logperiodic oscillations, whose final singularity (a critical point tc) reveals a great change in the near future (2034±3 yr), when the SAA area reaches almost a hemisphere. An interesting aspect that has recently been found is the possible direct connection between the SAA and the global mean sea level (GSL). That the GSL is somehow connected with SAA is also confirmed by the similar result when an analogous critical-like fit is performed over GSL: the corresponding critical point (2033±11 yr) agrees, within the estimated errors, with the value found for the SAA. From this result, we point out the intriguing conjecture that tc would be the time of no return, after which the geomagnetic field could fall into an irreversible process of a global geomagnetic transition that could be a reversal or excursion of polarity

Two geomagnetic regional models for Albania and south-east Italy from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012 and comparison with IGRF-11

Here we present a revised geomagnetic reference model for the region comprising Albanian territory, southeast part of Italian Peninsula and Ionian Sea from 1990 to 2010 with prediction to 2012. This study is based on the datasets of magnetic measurements taken during different campaigns in Albania and Italy in the time of concern, together with a total intensity data set from the ∅rsted and CHAMP satellite missions. The model is designed to represent the Cartesian components, X, Y, Z and the total intensity F of the main geomagnetic field (and its secular variation SV) for the period of interest. To develop the model, we applied a Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis (SCHA) of the geomagnetic potential over a 16° cap with most of the observations concentrated in the central 4° half-angle. The use of a larger cap than that containing the data was made to reduce the typical problems in SV modelling over small regions. Also a new technique, called "Radially Simplified Spherical Cap Harmonic Analysis" (RS-SCHA), was developed to improve the model especially in the radial variation of the geomagnetic field components. Both these models provide an optimal representation of the geomagnetic field in the considered region compared with the International Geomagnetic Reference Field model (IGRF-11) and can be used as reference models to reduce magnetic surveys undertaken in the area during the time of validity of the model, or to extrapolate the field till 2012

Geomagnetic jerks characterization via spectral analysis

In this study we have applied spectral techniques to analyze geomagnetic field time-series provided by observatories, and compared the results with those obtained from analogous analyses of synthetic data estimated from models. Then, an algorithm is here proposed to detect the geomagnetic jerks in time-series, mainly occurring in the eastern component of the geomagnetic field. Applying such analysis to time-series generated from global models has allowed us to depict the most important space-time features of the geomagnetic jerks all over the globe, since the beginning of XXth century. Finally, the spherical harmonic power spectrum of the third derivative of the main geomagnetic field has been computed from 1960 to 2002.5, bringing new insights to understand the spatial evolution of these rapid changes of the geomagnetic field

Searching for possible seismogenic signatures in ionosphere by an entropy-based analysis of magnetic satellite data: A case study.

The importance of detecting possible electromagnetic signatures due to large earthquakes is self-evident, signatures which can be either anticipating, simultaneous or subsequent with respect to the main shock. Taking advantage of the present low Earth’s orbiting CHAMP satellite, we apply an “ad hoc” technique based on the Information Theory, to the satellite magnetic data with the aim at extracting eventual time anomalies. This technique has small time-space resolution using a preliminary wavelet analysis in order to detect shorter-wavelength anomalies. Some examples are given for magnetic satellite data taken over periods including the times of two large earthquakes, one being the Sumatra region event on 26 December 2004 (M=9.1)