The Intensity & Nature of the Earth's Magnetic Field
A compass tells you what direction is 'North', but have you ever wondered how it can do that? The answer has to do with something called magnetism. Every magnet produces an invisible area of influence around itself. When things made of metal or other magnets come close to this region of space, they feel a pull or a push from the magnet. Scientists call these invisible influences FIELDS.
Using our premise that the Earth provides us with the perfect parameters for the health of our bodies, we shall explore the 4 aspects of the earth's magnetic field and naturally occurring PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic) frequencies. So we will begin by discussing intensity.
The intensity is the STRENGTH of the earth’s magnetic field. Think of a strong electromagnet that can actually lift cars in a junkyard versus a smaller weak horseshoe magnet that barely picks up iron nails. Both create a magnetic field the difference is intensity.
Currently the earth's intensity is between 30 and 60 microtesta (uT) or .3 - .6 gauss. Its stronger at the poles and weaker near the equator.
The Earth itself is like a big bar magnet (approximately a dipole), and the magnetic field looks similar to the picture above, though that picture is simplified (actually the more accepted theory is called the dynamo theory which says that the pulsating magnetic fields in the sun induce a current in the molten outer core of the earth (which has lots of free electrons) and that current in turn produces a magnetic field by ampere's law (see below).
The magnetic poles are inclined about 11.3 degrees from the planet's axis of rotation.
The Highly Energetic Nature of the Earth We Live on...
The Solar Wind is a relentless storm of energy emitted from the Sun that races outwards through space at rapidly and wildly fluctuating speeds of 200 - 700 km per second. These pulsating flows of energy create enormous pulsing electric and magnetic fields throughout space.
Additionally, there are approximately 100 lightning strikes every second on the earth, which equals a staggering 8.64 million, strikes a day!
This is the highly energetic environment within which we on planet Earth exist...
Magnetic fields extend indefinitely into space but become weaker as the distance increases from their source. The earth's magnetic field, which extends thousands of miles into space, is called the magnetosphere.
The strength of the field at the Earth's surface ranges from less than 30 microteslas (0.3 gauss) in an area including most of South America and South Africa to over 60 microteslas (0.6 gauss) around the magnetic poles.
The field is similar to that of a bar magnet but this similarity is not really correct. The magnetic field of a bar magnet, or any other type of permanent magnet, is created by the synchronized spins of electrons and nuclei within the atoms. The Earth's core, however, is hotter than 1000 K, at which the orientations of spins within iron become chaotic. This causes the iron deposits to lose their magnetic field. Therefore the Earth's magnetic field is caused not by magnetized iron deposits, but mostly by electric currents in the liquid outer core. This happens because the liquid outer core has a plethora of free electrons that form a current due to the pulsating magnetic fields of the sun (via Faradays Law). This is how power is created at the power plant. A changing magnetic field (generator) produces a electric current.
This electric current produced in the outer core than in turn creates a magnetic field by ampere's law (see below).
This is the Dynamo Theory and it explains how the earth's magnetic field is sustained.
Another feature that distinguishes the Earth magnetically from a bar magnet is its magnetosphere. At large distances from the planet, this dominates the surface magnetic field. Electric currents induced in the ionosphere also generate magnetic fields.
Ampere's Law
The IMPORTANT point of explaining this is that the earth’s magnetic field is produced by electrical currents, which by Ampere's law produces a magnetic field.
This is a very important reason why pulsed magnetic therapy mats are more effective than static magnetic mattress pads. All the pulsed magnetic therapy mats on the market use electrical currents NOT static magnetics, just like the earth.
To better understand how currents create magnetic fields check out the link below. Don't worry about all the equations, just notice the pictures. See how a current produces a magnetic field using the right hand rule and how magnetic iron filings align around the field. Also notice how a current loop produces a north-south dipole similar to a bar magnetic. This is how the pulsed magnetic therapy devices on the market work. The use one or several bundles of conducting loops that create a north-south dipole.
http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/phys136d/modules/m7/Ampere.htm
So What Magnetic Intensity is Best for Us?
If you have been following my line of reasoning so far, it is clear: use intensities within nature's limits (30-60 uT). In fact, all the top and best researched companies making pulsed magnetic therapy mats independently discovered that weak magnetic fields on the same order of the earth's intensities, work better than stronger fields.
So more is not better, in fact, less is more.
And to properly duplicate nature, static magnetics are not the choice because as we just explained the earth's magnetic field is produced by moving electric currents in the outer liquid core. The magnetic field of the Earth is DYNAMIC, not static as many people mistakenly think.
So if we seek to duplicate Nature, the strength of the Magnetic field we should look for would be approximately 0-100 uT (or 0-1.00 Gauss). AND the magnetic field should be DYNAMIC not static. This means a pulsating magnetic field (PEMF).
Here's one final point which hints that high intensities are not desirable and even could be dangerous (there are some very high powered PEMF devices on the market - this is very UNNATURAL and potentially dangerous):
The World Health Organization considers a continuous magnetic field of 100 micro-Tesla (1 Gauss) at 50Hz as safe.
Further the limit of strength for induced electromagnetic fields according to DIN (German industry norm) is 400 uT. There are no known risks with use of systems of low electromagnetic fields, but stay away from units going above 400 uT.
Again, it's best to stick with Nature and even the government agencies recognize this.