Open AccessTesting the geomagnetic dipole hypothesis: palaeolatitudes sampled by large continents
Author(s) -
Evans M. E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2005.02628.x
Subject(s) - earth's magnetic field , geology , paleomagnetism , latitude , geophysics , geodesy , dipole , paleontology , physics , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
SUMMARY An analysis is presented of the way in which a continental spherical cap samples geographic latitude bands as it drifts over the Earth's surface. This is necessary to establish the likely success of the random palaeogeographic test of the geocentric axial dipole hypothesis and to gauge how much geological time is required. It appears that a few hundred million years may suffice.