Polar Shift

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by TraumaHawk2011, Apr 20, 2012.


  1. Seawolf1090

    Seawolf1090 Retired Curmudgeonly IT Monkey Founding Member

    I'm having a devil of a time with trying to understand just WHY a flip of MAGNETIC POLES, NOT the physical poles (or rotation points) would cause all this 'crust shifting' and massive devastation? Seems it would affect only the Earth's magnetic field, not the physical land masses? Compasses would be reversed, we'd need to relabel our maps as to magnetic north and south, but I don't see a major destruction phase happening?

    Maybe I am just missing something simple and basic in all this?
     
  2. Jeff Brackett

    Jeff Brackett Monkey+++

    No, you're not missing anything. There are two different types of "polar shifts" being discussed. First mentioned was the magnetic polar shift. That one is not the one that would cause the physical poles to shift. The destruction there would be from the (hopefully) temporary disruption of the earth's protective magnetic field which would allow lethal doses of solar radiation through.

    The physical shift is the "capsizing" or "crustal shift" event. It is based on the old "global cooling" theory from the sixties and seventies. In that theory, the ice caps continue to grow until they throw the earth's rotation out of equilibrium. The most common analogy I read was that of dropping molten lead onto the top of a spinning tennis ball.

    In this theory, at some point the growing ice caps act like that molten lead. Centrifugal force causes the ice caps to move to the point of maximum spin (near the equator), which in essence drags the crust with it.
     
  3. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    If that is the "Theory" then everyone who is living on earth and ALL their Grandchildren will be LONG in the Ground before the Polar Regions can accumulate enough Ice Mass, to make that kind of Shift Happen, considering it didn't happen during the most recent Ice Age.... .... YMMV....
     
    Ken_C likes this.
  4. Jeff Brackett

    Jeff Brackett Monkey+++

    No argument. There were those in the '60s & '70s who cited a variety of anomalous findings in several scientific and pseudo-scientific fields and claimed that this has happened several times in the past. Since I wasn't around, my take on it is irrelevant. :) However, this was part of the topic as presented by Trauma, and I happened to be familiar with it due to research I had done some time back for a book I thought about writing.
     
  5. http://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/greenhouse-effect-mechanism.htm

    There are great explanations of one possible version of the shift. I must admit I was not aware of such a possibility and cannot fathom how anyone can survive such a scenario. When I started this thread I was invisioning a desalination of the Atlantic due to the meltdown of Arctic ice like is lightly explained in the link above. This kind of new ice age (polar shift) even though not pleasant either is more likely to be survived. When prepared for extreme cold weather
     
  6. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Head down to REI or your favorite outdoor specialty store and tell them you want to traverse Rainier and you need the best cold weather gear they have- don't go to Wally World unless you want some China garbage that don't work. Get the sleeping bags for artic conditions as well as a dome tent that is rated for those conditions in suitable numbers to have redundancy for you and your fam. That is where I would start- some of the newer undergarments are excellent and light weight. Just remember to have extra for replacement over a long period.

    Bug-in for your homes shelter/insulation or bunker-up- and hope for the best. But above all else, prep for all situations as others here stated. Since the gear can be used for all situations if we loose power, fuel, heat ect in the great NW- it gets chilly outdoors. If you have to bug out the gear will work well as designed in a cold environment. I would and do, look at my outdoor gear in a summer and winter perspective and plan for the worse either way....I hate the heat but turning into a popsicle is no fun either!!
     
  7. Good points, going to start looking that type of gear up
     
  8. Hey! so I just realized that the celestial alignment that only happens every 3000 years or so, that many think to be the reason for earth polar shift (whichever version) and subsequent ice age, that many though was supposed to be towards the end of the year, and those more superstitious than I assumed would happen 12/12/12...
    Well it's actually starting this month 20th or 21th......
    Gulp!!!
     
  9. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    According to some scientists this process could taking anywhere from 1,000 β€” 28,000 years. The last four flip-flops took about 7,000 years each.

    That should be a long enough time frame to BBQ most life on Earth. If this is how it will happen, the original posters concerns about preparing for the cold climate afterwards is moot.

    Hate to point out the obvious but I believe you contradicted yourself [monkeyeating]
     
    BTPost likes this.
  10. Yep you are right, I didn't think that one through lol ;)
     
  11. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    I haven't read much on polar shifts but a physical shift sounds like it would destroy everything on earth. A magnetic shift sounds like it would be easier to survive depending on the effect of radiation. Maybe having a bunker/basement far enough under ground would protect from that and the cold too, think of a radiation type shelter.

    As far as surviving cold I was impressed with the military style sleep system, the whole system with a good liner and thermals should get you down to -40 or more, and a lot cheaper than the really high end artic type bags. I haven't bought one yet but I plan to before this next winter.

    Like mentioned above look into what people use that go on arctic expeditions, it doens't get much better than that.

    Plenty of wood stocked up and a wood burning stove, although that doesn't go well with a underground shelter I guess, it could probably be vented.

    Cooking and frozen water would probably be big issues.

    If your talking unlivable atmosphere for 7,000 years... then unless you have a billion dollars to build and stock the most awesome deep under ground bunker with a life time or two of supplies then there isn't much hope of living past how much food and water you have stored away. If your talking no oxygen either then there is no hope.

    In all honesty my number one survival plan for something like you guys have been talking about, for anything, is a relationship with Jesus Christ and being ready to meet my maker.
     
  12. Hosster

    Hosster Monkey

    I believe the poles have shifted before. Likely in today's society it may cause some mayhem, but not enough for an apocalypse scenario.
     
  13. jasonl6

    jasonl6 Monkey+++

    I don't really agree that they have shifted or will ****, However I think any small trigger in 100 things could cause a apocalypse scenario.
     
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