Chapter 16 



Possible Influence of the Earth's Magnetic Field 



on Geomicrobiological Processes in the 



Hydrosphere" 



Frederick D. Sisler* and Frank E. Senftle 



INTRODUCTION 



J_t is well recognized and obvious that in marine environments, 

 physical, chemical and biological forces work in combination and 

 are responsible for much of the diagenesis and geology of sedi- 

 mentary deposits. However, the precise nature of the interrela- 

 tionships and the total impact of the more obscure forces on the 

 overall geological processes taking place are not so obvious. In 

 this paper, attention is focussed on the admittedly obscure rela- 

 tion between the earth's magnetic field and geomicrobiological 

 processes in the oceans and the superficial sediments. 



Figure 1 shows our earth as a ball covered largely with water, 

 most of which can be considered as a dilute electrolyte contain- 

 ing charge carrier. The principle charge carriers in ocean water 

 consist of simple ions, complex molecules and minute microor- 

 ganisms. These carriers are transported by ocean currents and, 

 if their path happens to be at right angles to the earth's mag- 

 netic field, a force will be exerted on them perpendicular to the 

 direction of flow. This force will cause a given particle to trace 

 out a curved path. If the flow of current is continuous, as it is in 

 ocean currents, one might expect electric potential differences to 

 be set up between difi^erent parts of the ocean. 



As far back as 1832, Faraday considered the possibility of 

 potential differences in a moving fluid electrolyte and actually 

 performed some crude experiments in the tideway under Water- 



* Presently with the General Scientific Corporation, Washington, D.C. 



159 



