General Question

stanleybmanly's avatar

Why isn't there a lethal radiation hazard on the surface at the earth's magnetic poles?

Asked by stanleybmanly (24153points) February 5th, 2014

Since our magnetic field is intercepting all of those charged particles (thus saving our bacon) and funneling them earthward.

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3 Answers

XOIIO's avatar

I think you have a serious misunderstanding of what the earths magnetic field does. It deflects them, it does not funnel them down.

stanleybmanly's avatar

Then the particles don’t travel down the lines of magnetic force to the poles, thus generating the Northern and Southern lights?

stanleybmanly's avatar

@XOIIO I googled the subject and found this. Thanks for the incentive.

http://www.windows2universe.org/glossary/plasmaspheric_gain.html

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