The effects of long-term changes in the Earth's magnetic field on the atmosphere: understanding the past; predicting the future

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"The effects of long-term changes in the Earth's magnetic field on the atmosphere: understanding the past; predicting the future"This project investigates the effects of changes in the Earth's internal magnetic field on the atmosphere and climate. The Earth's magnetic field has been changing relatively rapidly in recent times. During the last decade, the position of the north magnetic pole has been moving at its fastest rate recorded so far, at 40-60 km/year. In addition, the magnetic field strength has been steadily decreasing at a rate of 5-7% per century since 1840, which has led to speculations that we may be heading for a magnetic field reversal. Some studies have found correlations between changes in the Earth's magnetic field and climate parameters. However, the responsible mechanism for this link has remained elusive. This project will investigate one possible pathway by which the Earth's magnetic field could affect climate, namely the downward propagation of changes initiated in the upper atmosphere (~100-500 km). This is a novel idea that has not been investigated before.Changes in the Earth's magnetic field directly influence the ionosphere, the charged portion of the upper atmosphere, and the magnetosphere, the bubble around the Earth that shields us from the solar wind. We will examine and quantify the effects of historical changes in the Earth's magnetic field that have occurred since 1600 on the coupled upper atmosphere and magnetosphere system, using simulations with the Coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere-Thermosphere (CMIT) model. The responses found will be compared to observed long-term trends in the upper atmosphere and indices of geomagnetic activity, which measure perturbations to the Earth's main magnetic field as a result of ionospheric and magnetospheric current systems. We will also explore some potential future scenarios by extrapolating current magnetic field changes into the next 50-200 years.We then investigate to what extent the effects found in the upper atmosphere influence the middle and lower atmosphere. We will do this using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM), a numerical model that extends from the surface to the upper atmosphere, partly overlapping with the CMIT model. At its top, WACCM will be forced with the upper atmospheric responses found in the first part of the project. We will determine whether downward propagation of these forcings causes a significant change in the atmosphere below. Any significant response in the troposphere will be compared to the correlations between magnetic field changes and climate parameters that have been observed.By studying the effects of magnetic field changes on the climate over the past four centuries, this project contributes to a better quantification of natural sources of atmospheric variability. This is needed to attribute observed climate trends correctly and assess man-made effects on climate more precisely. Both are essential for developing mitigation strategies and for making accurate predictions of future climate. The project also offers a first insight into the effects of magnetic field changes that we can expect in the future. Especially a magnetic field reversal would almost certainly have dramatic consequences for the upper atmosphere and geospace environment, and the technological systems this environment hosts. However, the effects on climate are very hard to predict, as we currently do not know in what ways and to what extent the Earth's magnetic field can affect climate. The proposed project will be a first step in improving our understanding of the link between the Earth's magnetic field and climate.