GEOMAGNETISM AND BIODIVERSITY IN THE PHANEROZOIC

Authors

M. S. Barash Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29006/1564-2291.JOR-2018.46(1).5

Keywords:

geomagnetism, evolution, impact events, volcanism, mass extinctions

Abstract

The influence of changes in the geomagnetic field on the evolution of organisms is multifaceted. Lowering of the field strength increases cosmic irradiation of the Earth’s surface, which can activate mutagenesis leading to speciation. Since the correlation of the geomagnetic field intensity with the composition of the atmosphere, temperature, climate, volcanism and other environmental conditions is revealed, its effect on the evolutionary processes within the general complex of influencing factors is assumed. The source of the geomagnetic field is at the core-mantle boundary, i.e. in the same area where sources of plume formation and, accordingly, of volcanism are located. The activation of impact events in close time intervals can be explained by the influence of the same factors external to the solar system, such as the galactic tidal forces or the fluxes of dark matter when the solar system crosses the plane of the Milky Way. Mass extinctions are caused by the combined effects of volcanism, impact events and geomagnetic changes.

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