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TerminationClause t1_jdr251s wrote

Reply to comment by dukesdj in Around 550 million years ago the earth's magnetic field almost collapsed, but then strengthened a few million years later. Scientists say this may have been due to the formation of the inner core. But why exactly would that cause the magnetic field to get stronger? by somethingX

So, forgive me if I misunderstand, I'm still on my first cup of coffee... but all those years I spent learning about fluid dynamics (off-handedly learning about chaos theory) can actually be applied to the inner and outer core as well as the mantle? Not only that, but that we understand it as well as you seem to? I really should have gone to college for that stuff instead of just reading it on the crapper.

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dukesdj t1_jdr6owx wrote

In the words of one of my colleagues "99% of the universe is fluids, the remaining 1% is just details". Fluid dynamics is everywhere, it is actually harder to think of things that do not involve fluid dynamics than otherwise. I extend this not just to geophysical and astrophysical fluid dynamics but all of physics, engineering, biology, medicine, chemistry, and probably more.

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acfox13 t1_jdrpt6c wrote

>"99% of the universe is fluids, the remaining 1% is just details"

I like that. I live somewhere with huge tides, whirlpools, microclimates, and the fluid dynamics here is stunning to witness.

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Chalkarts t1_jds7f2j wrote

I was recently contemplating how similar fast moving river water with its swirls and waves looks a lot like atmosphere of a gas giant, or the formation of galaxies. Made me wonder if magnetism and gravity were the only forms of “drag” giving the swirling galaxies their shape since there are no shorelines or rock to provide it in space.

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Rootriver t1_jdu2vtj wrote

> Made me wonder if magnetism and gravity were the only forms of “drag”

Yes and no (at least according to the current main theories of physics). In a way in that scale gravitation and electromagnetism are the only meaningful forces, but forces (or rather interactions) called strong interaction and weak interaction can have pretty drastic local effects (these forces only work on very short distances, i.e. atomic and subatomic level) that can then affect the things on larger scale.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Model

Note: my knowledge here is bit rusty (pre observed Higgs boson) and elementary level.

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