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THE HIDDEN LINK BETWEEN EARTH’S
MAGNETIC FIELD AND CLIMATE
THE HIDDEN LINK
BETWEEN EARTH’S
MAGNETIC FIELD
AND CLIMATE
NATALYA A. KILIFARSKA
Geophysics, National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
VOLODYMYR G. BAKHMUTOV
Institute of Geophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
GALYNA V. MELNYK
Institute of Geophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
Elsevier
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ISBN: 978-0-12-819346-4
aa a simplified index describing global geomagnetic activity. It is derived from the K indices from two approximately
antipodal observatories and has units of 1 nT (nanotesla). Current observatories used are Hartland in the United
Kingdom, operated by BGS, and Canberra in Australia, operated by Geoscience Australia. The observatories used
have changed over the time span of the series.
AD Anno Domini, meaning ‘in the year of the Lord’ (Medieval Latin). In the Julian calendar it counts the number
years from the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditionally the ‘AD’ abbreviation is placed before the year number, e.g. AD
2019.
AE an auroral electrojet (refer to the Specific terminology) index obtained from a number (usually greater than 10) of
stations distributed in local time in the latitude region that is typical of the Northern Hemisphere auroral zone.
Ap a measure of the general level of geomagnetic activity over the globe for a given day. It is derived from measure-
ments of the variation of the geomagnetic field due to currents flowing in the earth’s ionosphere (and to a lesser
extent in Earth’s magnetosphere), made at a number of stations worldwide.
Aura-MLS microwave limb sounder (MLS) experiments, aboard the Aura satellite, measured (naturally occurring)
microwave thermal emission from the limb (edge) of Earth’s upper atmosphere launched in 2004. The data are
used to create vertical profiles of atmospheric gases, temperature, pressure, and cloud ice.
BC Before Christ, traditionally BC is placed after the year number (e.g. 1200 BC).
CCM chemistry climate models couple the stratospheric chemical models with climate models in one model,
representing both stratospheric chemistry and atmospheric climate. Coupling both processes in a single model
allows the investigation of the feedback processes between these two components (e.g. addressing the question
of how global climate change, associated with the production of anthropogenic greenhouse gases, will interfere
with the anticipated ozone recovery in the 21st century). However, coupling these two processes into a single
model complicates the interpretation of results, compared to models that treat the processes separately (e.g. chem-
istry transport models and general circulation models).
CMB core–mantle boundary of the Earth; this lies between the planet’s silicate mantle and its liquid iron-nickel outer
core. It is observed via the discontinuity in seismic wave velocities at that depth. The boundary is thought to har-
bour topography, much like Earth’s surface, that is supported by solid-state convection within the overlying
mantle.
CRs cosmic rays are highly energetic atomic nuclei or other particles travelling through space at a speed approaching
that of light. When originating from the galaxy or beyond it, they are known as galactic cosmic rays (GCRs).
CRM chemical remanent magnetization is a magnetization formed by phase change, physicochemical changes (such
as oxidation or reduction), dehydration, recrystallization, or precipitation of natural elements at low temperatures.
ERA 40, ERA Interim, and ERA 20C products of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
(ECMWF) providing gridded 4D data for a great variety of atmospheric parameters, based on the reanalysis of
multidecadal series of past observations, aimed for use in studies of climate variability.
eV an electronvolt is the amount of kinetic energy gained (or lost) by a single electron, which is accelerated from rest,
through an electric potential difference of one volt in vacuum.
GCRs galactic cosmic rays.
GeV a gigaelectronvolt is equal to 109 electron volts.
HOx the family of hydrogen oxide radicals (HOx H + OH + HO2), influencing the ozone density in mesosphere.
IGRF the International Geomagnetic Reference Field is a standard mathematical description of the large-scale struc-
ture of Earth’s main magnetic field, and its secular variation. It was created by fitting parameters of a mathematical
model to measured magnetic field data from surveys, observatories, and satellites across the globe.
vii
viii List of abbreviations
IMF the interplanetary magnetic field, or heliospheric magnetic field, is the component of the solar magnetic field
that is dragged out from the solar corona by the solar wind flow to fill the solar system.
INTERMAGNET International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network.
IPCC the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, established in 1988 by the WMO and the United Nations En-
vironment Programme (UNEP). Its reports cover the scientific, technical, and socio-economic information relevant
to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for
adaptation and mitigation.
IPDP Intervals of Pulsations with Diminishing Period are continuous structured narrow-band geomagnetic pulsa-
tions, whose frequency resemble Pc1 pulsation and in addition increases with time (typically from 0.2 to 12 Hz).
These pulsations occur in the evening sector, in association with the expansion phase of a substorm (refer to the
Specific terminology).
K index quantifying disturbances in the horizontal component of Earth’s magnetic field, measured in a given mag-
netic observatory. Its range of variability is between 0 and 9—where 1 denotes calm, and 5 or more indicates a
geomagnetic storm. It is a quasilogarithmic local index of the geomagnetic activity, derived from the maximum
fluctuations of horizontal components observed on a magnetometer during a 3 h interval.
ka a kiloannus, abbreviated ka, is a period of 1000 Julian years, equal to 365,250 days. It is derived from the prefix kilo
(in SI system) and the Latin for year, annus; ka is equivalent to ky.
keV a kiloelectronvolt is equal to 1000 electron volts (103 eV).
Kp the index of the global geomagnetic activity, based on 3-h measurements from ground-based magnetometers
around the world. Each station is calibrated according to its latitude and reports about a certain K-index, which
depends on the geomagnetic activity measured at the location of the magnetometer.
LS the lower stratosphere is the lowest part of stratospheric layer bordering the tropopause. It is thinner in equatorial
regions and comparatively thicker at high latitudes. Dominant characteristics of the lower stratosphere are the
presence of ozone and its extremely low temperature, within the range 40 to 80°C.
Ma an abbreviation from the Latin mega-annum, i.e. million years.
MeV one megaelectronvolt is equal to 1 million electron volts (106 eV).
NAO North Atlantic Oscillation is a weather phenomenon in the North Atlantic Ocean, manifesting itself as fluctu-
ations in atmospheric sea level pressure between the Icelandic Low and the Azores High. It controls the strength
and direction of westerly winds and location of storm tracks across the North Atlantic.
NH Northern Hemisphere.
NM neutron monitor.
NMDB the neutron monitor database, a real-time database for high-resolution neutron monitor measurements.
NOAA the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is an American scientific agency within the United
States Department of Commerce that focuses on the conditions of the oceans, major waterways, and the
atmosphere.
NOx the family of atmospheric nitrogen oxides (NOx NO + NO2) influencing the mesospheric, stratospheric and
tropospheric ozone.
NRM natural remnant magnetization is the permanent magnetism of a rock or sediment. It preserves a record of the
Earth’s magnetic field at the time when the mineral was laid down as sediment, or crystallized in magma, and also
the tectonic movement of the rock over millions of years from its original position.
nT a nanotesla is a unit of measurement of a magnetic field (in SI units system), equal to one billionth of a tesla (T), i.e.
109 T.
SAGE II Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiments (SAGE) are satellite-based solar occultation instruments span-
ning over 26 years that have been a cornerstone in studies of stratospheric change.
SH Southern Hemisphere.
SHA spherical harmonic analysis is the procedure of representing a potential function by a sum of spherical har-
monic functions.
SpH atmospheric specific humidity, defined as the mass of water vapour per unit mass of the moist air, usually in
kg/kg.
T2m air temperature at 2 m above the surface from ERA reanalyses (products of the ECMWF—the European Centre
for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts).
TIM/SOURCE abbreviation of the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), launched in January 2003 on the NASA Earth
observing system—Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE). The TIM measures the total solar irradi-
ance, the spatially and spectrally integrated solar radiation incident at the top of the Earth’s atmosphere.
List of abbreviations ix
TOZ the total ozone at any location on the globe is defined as the sum of all the ozone in the atmosphere directly
above that location. Most ozone resides in the stratospheric ozone layer and a small percentage (about 10%) is
distributed throughout the troposphere.
TRM thermoremanent magnetization is the magnetization that an igneous rock acquires, usually from the magnetic
field in which it is located, when the temperature of the magma or lava from which it forms falls below the Curie
point during the cooling and solidification process.
TSI total solar irradiance is a measure of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the Sun and incident on the
Earth’s upper atmosphere—per unit area, averaged over all wavelengths.
UARS-HALOE the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) has been collecting profiles of middle atmosphere
composition and temperature on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), within the period
1991–2005.
UTLS the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere layer is broadly defined as the region 5 km around the tro-
popause, which is the traditional boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. The dynamical, chem-
ical, and radiative properties of the UTLS are in many ways distinct from both the lower troposphere and the
middle stratosphere.
UV ultraviolet is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths from 10 to 400 nm, shorter than those of visible light
but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight, and constitutes about 10% of the total electromagnetic
radiation output from the Sun.
VADM the virtual axial dipole moment describes the intensity of an imaginary axial (along the Earth’s rotation axis)
centric (located in the centre of the Earth) dipole that would produce the estimated archaeo-/palaeointensity at the
sampling site.
VGP virtual geomagnetic pole is the point on the Earth’s surface at which a magnetic pole would be located
if the observed direction of remanence at a particular location was due to a magnetic dipole at the centre of
the Earth.
VIRGO/SOHO VIRGO (Variability of solar IRradiance and Gravity Oscillations) is an experiment on the ESA/
NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission, investigating the irradiance (particularly the TSI)
and gravity oscillations of the Sun.
VRM viscous magnetization is remanence that is acquired by ferromagnetic materials by sitting in a magnetic field
for some time. The natural remanent magnetization of an igneous rock can be altered by this process.
WMO World Meteorological Organization.
Γw wet adiabatic lapse rate of atmospheric temperature, known also as moist or saturated lapse rate.
Specific terminology
adiabatic invariant property of a physical system that stays approximately constant when changes occur slowly.
This means that if a system is varied between two end points and the time for the variation between them is close
to infinity, the variation of an adiabatic invariant between the two end points goes to zero.
Antarctic convergence zone known also as the Antarctic Polar Front, a curve continuously encircling Antarctica (vary-
ing in latitude seasonally), where the cold equatorward-flowing Antarctic waters meet the relatively warmer waters
of the sub-Antarctic region. Antarctic waters predominantly sink beneath the warmer sub-Antarctic waters.
atmospheric static stability (also called hydrostatic stability or vertical stability) measures the gravitational resis-
tance of atmosphere to vertical displacements. It is determined by the vertical stratification of density or potential
temperature.
atmospheric window wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be transmitted through the Earth’s at-
mosphere. Atmospheric windows occur in the visible, infrared, and radio regions of the spectrum.
auroral electrojet the large horizontal currents (Hall currents) that flow in the D and E regions (i.e. 100–150 km) of the
auroral ionosphere, flowing from noon towards nights.
autocatalytic cycle a set of chemical reactions producing catalysts, stimulating the entire set of chemical reactions
and ensuring its self-sustainability, given an input of energy and food molecules.
α-particles alpha particles, also called alpha ray or alpha radiation, which consist of two protons and two neutrons
bound together into a particle identical to a helium-4 nucleus.
Brewer–Dobson circulation mean meridional overturning circulation in the stratosphere, characterized by two-cell
structure in the lower stratosphere, i.e. ascendance of air in the tropics, its poleward propagation, and its
descendance in the middle and high latitudes in both hemispheres. The two-cell structure was first proposed
x List of abbreviations
by Dobson and Brewer to explain the observations of ozone and water vapour in the stratosphere. At higher al-
titudes a single-cell circulation exists with air ascending in the summer hemisphere, crossing the equator, and
descending in the winter hemisphere.
cation ionic species with a positive charge. A cation has more protons than electrons, giving it a net positive charge.
chronozone (or chron) time interval in chronostratigraphy, defined by events such as geomagnetic reversals
(magnetozones), or based on the presence of specific fossils (biozone or biochronozone).
climatic mode repeating patterns of time-space variability of the climate system.
climatology (in meteorology) long-term mean of a given climate variable.
cosmic ray spallation (in nuclear physics) the process in which a heavy nucleus emits numerous nucleons as a result
of being hit by a high-energy particle, thus greatly reducing its atomic weight.
cosmogenic isotopes (i.e. cosmogenic nuclides) rare isotopes created when a high-energy cosmic ray interacts with
atomic nucleus, causing nucleons (protons and neutrons) to be expelled from the atom. These isotopes are pro-
duced within Earth materials such as rocks or soil, in Earth’s atmosphere, and in extra-terrestrial items such as
meteorites. There are both radioactive and stable cosmogenic isotopes.
cross section measure of probability that a specific process will take place in a collision of two particles. If the par-
ticles interact through some action-at-a-distance force, such as electromagnetism or gravity, their scattering cross
section is generally larger than their geometric size.
drift motion movement of charged particles (confined by a magnetic field) in a direction perpendicular to both the
magnetic field line and the applied force (electric field, magnetic gradient, or curvature of magnetic field lines) due
to the action of Lorentz force.
effective temperature the temperature of an object calculated from the radiation it emits, assuming black-body
behaviour.
flood basalt the result of a giant volcanic eruption or series of eruptions that covers large stretches of land (or the
ocean floor) with basalt lava.
geomagnetic excursion like a geomagnetic reversal, it manifests with a significant change in Earth’s magnetic field.
Unlike reversals, however, an excursion does not permanently change the large-scale orientation of the field, but
rather represents a dramatic, typically short-lived change in field intensity, with a variation in pole orientation of
up to 45 degrees from the previous position. These events, which typically last a few thousand to a few tens of
thousands of years, often involve declines in field strength between 0% and 20% of normal.
glaciation formation, existence, or movement of glaciers over the surface of the earth.
guiding centre the centre of the vast circular motion of charged particle around magnetic field line, which is drifting
slowly in a direction perpendicular to the field lines in the case of spatially heterogeneous or temporary varying
magnetic fields.
interstadial relatively warm period during a glacial epoch, when glaciers temporarily stop or retreat.
knock-on electron secondary electron (ejected by high speed particles through its interaction with matter) having
enough energy to escape a significant distance away from the primary radiation beam and produce further
ionization.
lithosphere solid, outer part of Earth, including the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust.
loss cone solid angle defining the minimum angle between velocity vector of arriving charged particle and magnetic
field line, ensuring particle reflection by the magnetic mirror, i.e. its confinement by the magnetic field. Particles
approaching the magnetic field at lower angles are lost in the surrounding environment.
magnetic lensing focusing or deflection of moving charged particles, such as electrons or ions, due to the action of
the magnetic Lorentz force.
magnetic polarity the orientation of magnetic field poles in space.
magnetic rigidity measure of the momentum of charged particle in magnetic field. It refers to the fact that a higher
momentum particle will have a higher resistance to a deflection by magnetic field. It is defined as R ¼ p/q, where p
is the particle momentum and q is its charge.
Matuyama–Brunes border is Earth’s latest magnetic field reversal event. It is an important calibration point on the
geological timescale, connecting sediments and volcanic rocks, and has therefore been the focus of a number of
palaeomagnetic studies.
Maunder minimum period around 1645–1715 during which sunspots became exceedingly rare.
mean free path the average distance travelled by a moving particle (i.e. atom, molecule, photon, etc.) between col-
lisions with other particles—modifying its direction, energy, or other particle properties.
List of abbreviations xi
meson hadronic (i.e. large, massive) subatomic particles composed of one quark and one antiquark, bound together
by strong (i.e. nuclear) interactions.
Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth’s rotation around its axis, and revolution
around the Sun (due to the gravitational interactions with other bodies in the solar system) on its climate over
thousands of years.
mode of variability climate pattern with identifiable characteristics, specific regional effects, and often oscillatory
behaviour.
muon an elementary particle similar to the electron, with an electric charge of 1 e and a spin of 1/2, but with a much
greater mass (105.66 MeV/c2, which is about 207 times that of the electron).
obliquity (or axial tilt) the angle between Earth’s rotational axis and its orbital axis, or, equivalently, the angle be-
tween its equatorial plane and orbital plane, varying between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees.
Older Dryas stadial (cold) period between the Bølling and Allerød interstadials (warmer phases), about 14,000 years
BP, towards the end of the Pleistocene.
planetary albedo percentage of solar irradiance that is reflected immediately back into space by clouds, aerosols, the
Earth’s surface, etc. The Earth’s planetary albedo is approximately 30%.
plate tectonics scientific theory describing the structure of Earth’s crust and many associated phenomena as
resulting from the interaction of rigid lithospheric plates, moving slowly over the underlying mantle.
potential function mathematical function whose values are a physical potential (scalar or vector potential). In geo-
magnetism, the magnetic vector field B is presented as a gradient of a scalar field P, i.e. B ¼ rP ¼ ∂P ∂P ∂P
∂x , ∂y , ∂z ,
called magnetic potential, which is well described by spherical harmonic functions. Thus a least-squares fit to the
magnetic field measurements gives the Earth’s field as the sum of spherical harmonics, each multiplied by the
best-fitting Gauss coefficient gm‘ or hm‘.
primary cosmic rays stable charged particles that have been accelerated to enormous energies by astrophysical
sources somewhere in our universe (the Milky Way or distant galaxies, the solar atmosphere and heliomagnetic
field, and even Earth’s radiation belts). Upon impact with the Earth’s atmosphere, cosmic rays can produce
showers of secondary particles that sometimes reach the surface.
Quaternary current and most recent (starting about 2.5 million years ago) of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in
the geologic timescale (according to the International Commission on Stratigraphy). The Quaternary Period is typ-
ically defined by the cyclic growth and decay of continental ice sheets associated with Milankovitch cycles, and the
associated climate and environmental changes that occurred. In this period, modern humans appeared.
Regener–Pfotzer maximum the maximum of the lower atmospheric ionization layer, consisting of so-called ‘second-
ary’ cosmic radiation. It is produced by the multiple interactions (nuclear-electromagnetic-muonic-pionic, etc.) of
primary cosmic rays with atmospheric atoms and molecules.
secondary electrons electrons generated as ionization products. They are called ‘secondary’ because they are gen-
erated by the primary radiation (i.e. ions, electrons, or photons with energy exceeding the ionization potential of
the target atom/molecule).
secular variation geomagnetic secular variation refers to changes in Earth’s magnetic field with periods of a year or
more, reflecting changes in the Earth’s core.
stadials and interstadials phases dividing the Quaternary Period, or the last 2.6 million years. Stadials are periods of
colder climate while interstadials are periods of warmer climate.
subduction a geological process that takes place at convergent boundaries of tectonic plates, where the heavier plate
(usually oceanic) is sinking gravitationally under the lighter one (usually continental) into the mantle. The sub-
duction rates are typically measured in centimetres per year, with the average rate of convergence being approx-
imately 2–8 cm per year along most plate boundaries. Regions where this process occurs are known as subduction
zones.
substorm (also sometimes magnetospheric substorm or auroral substorm) a brief disturbance in the Earth’s mag-
netosphere that causes energy to be released from the ‘tail’ of the magnetosphere and injected into the high latitude
ionosphere. Visually, a substorm is seen as a sudden brightening and increased movement of auroral arcs.
superchron time interval (chron) lasting more than 10 million years between events, especially reversals of the po-
larity of the Earth’s magnetic field.
teleconnection (in atmospheric sciences) causal connection or correlation between meteorological or other environ-
mental phenomena which occur a long distance apart.
xii List of abbreviations
Van Allen radiation belt layer of charged and energetic particles which is held by the planetary magnetic field
around the planet. The Van Allen belt specifically refers to the radiation belts around the Earth.
virtual geomagnetic pole point on the earth surface at which a magnetic pole would be located if the observed di-
rection of remanence—at a particular location—was due to a magnetic dipole at the centre of the Earth.
Younger Dryas period around 12,900–11,700 years BP, characterized by a return to glacial conditions after the Late
Glacial Interstadial. It reversed temporarily the gradual climatic warming after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)
started around 20,000 BP. The Younger Dryas was the most recent and longest of several interruptions to the grad-
ual warming of the Earth’s climate since the severe LGM, about 27,000–24,000 years BP.
C H A P T E R
1
Geomagnetic field—Origin, spatial-
temporal structure, and variability
O U T L I N E
Earth’s magnetic field plays an important role in many aspects of Earth sciences. It is one of
the key components of the complex integrated system of our planet, because it interacts with
all Earth’s shells—the atmosphere, the biosphere, Earth’s crust, mantle and core—shielding
the life on the planet from the harmful effects of cosmic radiation. Therefore, the magnetic
field ‘contains’ information about both the state of near-Earth outer space and the internal
structure of the deep Earth’s interior. This chapter considers the structure, properties, nature,
and methods for investigation of Earth’s magnetic field.
The observed geomagnetic field on Earth’s surface is a vector sum of the magnetic fields of
several sources (Fig. 1.1) located in different areas inside the planet and in near-planetary
space (Parkinson, 1983; Yanovsky, 1978; etc.):
The Hidden Link Between Earth’s Magnetic Field and Climate 1 # 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819346-4.00001-2
2 1. Geomagnetic field
FT ¼ F0 + Fm + Fa + Fe + δF,
where F0 is the dipolar component of geomagnetic field, Fm is the field of world anomalies
associated with the heterogeneity of the deep Earth’s interior (nondipole field), Fa is the rem-
anent magnetization of the rocks within the upper part of Earth’s crust (anomalous field), Fe is
the field of external sources, and δF is the field of variation, also associated with external
causes (Fig. 1.1). The sum of the dipole and nondipole fields is sometimes called the main
magnetic field of the Earth, i.e. F ¼ F0 + Fn.
The geomagnetic field can be described on Earth’s surface by its three orthogonal compo-
nents: X (pointing to the geographic north direction), Y (pointing eastward), and Z (pointing
downward in the Northern Hemisphere). The two horizontal components X and Y can be
combined, yielding the horizontal component H, which is aligned in the direction of the com-
pass needle:
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
H ¼ X2 + Y2 (1.1)
The sum of all three components defines the total field intensity, directed towards the cen-
tre of the planet:
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
F ¼ X2 + Y2 + Z2 (1.2)
The declination D is defined as the angle between H and geographic north, while the in-
clination I is the angle between the horizontal plane and the vector of total field intensity F. In
the international SI system, the measurable units of geomagnetic field strength are Tesla (T)
and its subunits: μT ¼ 106 T and nT ¼ 109 T.
The spatial-temporal variability of Earth’s magnetic field is one of its most characteristic
features. The available information has a different physical basis, accuracy, and resolution,
and covers different time ranges. To obtain the most complete information about Earth’s mag-
netic field, data from all sources are used (refer to Table 1.1).
1.1 Geomagnetic field structure—Dipole and nondipole components; temporal variability 3
TABLE 1.1 Geomagnetic field variations from various type measurements.
Period Amplitude Measurement Data acquisition
№ Geomagnetic variations (1 < n < 10) (1 < n < 10) accuracy methodsa
1 Steady and irregular Minutes n 101 (nT) 0.1–1.0 (nT) О, S
pulsations
2 Disturbed and undisturbed Hours n 10 (nT) 1.0–5.0 (nT) О, S
variations
3 Magnetic storms Hours-days n 10–n 102 (nT) 10 (nT) О, S
4 Secular variations n 10–n 10 3
More than 1–3 degrees О, H, А, P
years (n 102n 103) (nT)
5 Episodes and excursions n 102–n 104 >50 degrees 10 degrees P
years (excursions)
6 Reversals n 103–n 104 – 10 degrees P
years
7 Intervals between reversals n 105–n 106 – 10–20 degrees P
years
a
A, archaeomagnetic; H, historical; O, ground-based observations; P, palaeomagnetic methods; S, satellite measurements.
From Bakhmutov, V.G., 2006. Paleosecular Variations of Geomagnetic Field, Kiev. Naukova Dumka, p. 9 (in Russian).
Temporal variations of geomagnetic field cover a broad range of timescales (Table 1.1).
Short-term changes (e.g. variations with Nos. 1–3) are caused by the external sources—i.e.
the electromagnetic currents in the magnetosphere and ionosphere, which are studied by
the use of direct (instrumental) observations. Long-period changes (Nos. 4–6 in Table 1.1)
are caused by the internal sources in Earth’s core and are studied by using both—direct ob-
servations and the results of indirect (i.e. archaeomagnetic and palaeomagnetic) methods.
Geomagnetic pulsations (No. 1 in Table 1.1) are very short-lasting oscillations of geomagnetic
field. The origin of these fluctuations is ultra-low-frequency hydromagnetic waves, which are
excited in solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere. They are divided into two classes: irregular
pulsations Pi (individual bursts lasting several minutes), and more stable continuous pulsa-
tions Pc (lasting several hours with a quasisinusoidal shape). Among all Pcs, Pc1 pulsations
are distinguished with a period of 0.2–5 s (also called ‘pearls’) and duration of the series from
half an hour to several hours. The maximum of their occurrence is observed in the early morn-
ing local time hours. In the Pi1 range, several types of pulsations are observed, in particular
Intervals of Pulsations with Diminishing Period (IPDPs) associated with the development of
the magnetospheric substorm. IPDPs are most often observed in the afternoon and evening
sectors in the form of a series of separate wave packets, similar to Pc1 oscillations, but with a
gradually decreasing period, i.e. increasing frequency.
The perturbed and unperturbed geomagnetic variations (Nos. 2–3 in Table 1.1) are changes
in the Earth’s magnetic field over time under the influence of various factors. Unperturbed are
the small amplitude (tens of nT) annual variations of the monthly average values of Earth’s
magnetic field, and diurnal variations, which are associated with changes in solar activity and
the moon phase. They have a maximum during the daytime hours, and when the moon is in
4 1. Geomagnetic field
opposition. These are smooth periodic variations with intensities reaching 200 nT, increasing
from the equator to the poles.
The perturbed variations are magnetic storms and substorms, associated with active processes
on the Sun, and irregular processes in the solar wind, which affect Earth’s ionosphere and
magnetosphere. The duration of geomagnetic storms ranges from several hours to several
days. They are initiated by the disturbed solar wind, when arriving at Earth’s magnetopause.
The intensification of the equatorial ring current (constantly existing in the region of Earth’s
radiation belts) induces a magnetic field opposing the direction of the main geomagnetic field.
As a result, the ground-based observatories detect a sudden drop in the horizontal geomag-
netic field component (e.g. Rastogi, 2005; Maksimenko et al., 2008).
Magnetospheric substorms are disturbances detected in polar regions, associated with the
interaction of a surging solar wind with Earth’s magnetosphere. Their amplitude can reach
1000 nT, gradually decreasing towards the equator. The duration of the substorms is up to 1 h.
Disturbances are developed in the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere, and mani-
fest themselves in perturbations of currents and magnetic field, acceleration of energetic par-
ticles, and aurora. In contrast to magnetic storms, which are mainly associated with changes
in the ring current near the geomagnetic equator, and lead to almost global (except for regions
near the polar regions) geomagnetic disturbances, substorms are local in nature and cover
mainly the night side of polar regions. All these phenomena characterize the externally forced
geomagnetic activity, for the assessment of which various indices are used (see, e.g.
Parkinson, 1983).
This book is focused on the variations associated with changes in Earth’s deep interior (i.e.
variations Nos. 4–7 in Table 1.1). Secular variations of geomagnetic field (i.e. No. 4 in Table 1.1)
cover long periods of tens, hundreds, and even thousands of years. They lead to significant
changes in the annual mean values of terrestrial magnetic field. The investigations of the sec-
ular variations are based on the ground-based observations, as well as on historical,
archaeomagnetic, and palaeomagnetic data. According to recent knowledge, they are associ-
ated with processes at the core–mantle boundary.
Variations Nos. 5–7 in Table 1.1 are distinguished by palaeomagnetic data. They are
discussed in Section 1.3.4.
Direct observations have contributed to our knowledge about geomagnetic field variability
over the past few centuries. Information about the longer-scale variations, however, is acces-
sible only from archaeomagnetic and palaeomagnetic data. Direct instrumental measure-
ments of geomagnetic field, and its variations on Earth’s surface, began about 400 years
ago. During this time, a great deal of data has been accumulated about the field declination,
but much less about its inclination. In the medieval era, most geomagnetic measurements
were carried out on board ships, as part of their navigation.
During the 20th century, many measurements of geomagnetic field components were col-
lected during magnetic surveys: ground-based, oceanic, and aeromagnetic. Until the 1960s,
the lack of observatory data over the oceans, and some land areas, was compensated for
1.2 Direct and indirect observations of geomagnetic field 5
by repeated measurements on specially equipped ships, or at preliminary selected points for
determination of geomagnetic secular variations.
The first magnetic observatories were established in the 1820s, and by the mid-1980s, the
global geomagnetic network had expanded to 180 observatories. The accumulated global data
allowed scientists to investigate not only the short-term disturbances of magnetospheric-
ionospheric origin, but also the geomagnetic secular variations. Many digital magnetic obser-
vatories are integrated into the global network International Real-time Magnetic Observatory
Network (INTERMAGNET). Data collected by INTERMAGNET meet uniform accuracy
requirements of 0.1 nT for the magnetometer resolution (INTERMAGNET, 2012). Moreover,
the preliminary minute data must be transmitted to a geomagnetic information node within
72 h of acquisition. Access to the final data is open both through the INTERMAGNET
network and through global databases. In 2019, the INTERMAGNET portal provided geo-
magnetic data from 150 geomagnetic observatories from 42 countries (Fig. 1.2).
With the onset of the satellite era in the 1970s, satellite measurements have been involved in
global studies of the geomagnetic field and its variations. To date, however, the observatory
data have been and remain the most accurate and reliable source of information.
Fundamental knowledge about the spatial-temporal structure of Earth’s palaeomagnetism
can be obtained using indirect data, derived by archaeomagnetic and palaeomagnetic
methods. The physical foundation of archaeomagnetism and palaeomagnetism are similar,
so the archaeomagnetic method can be considered a kind of palaeomagnetic research.
Palaeomagnetic studies are based on the following fundamental assumptions:
1. A geomagnetic field averaged over a relatively small interval (on a geological timescale) is
the field of the central axial magnetic dipole, the axis of which coincides with Earth’s
rotational axis.
2. Rocks can be magnetized in the direction of an applied external magnetic field, and
obtained magnetization, called natural remanent magnetization (NRM), can persist up to
the present day (Tauxe, 2010).
The iron minerals with ferromagnetic properties (i.e. magnetite and its varieties, maghaemite,
haematite, haemo-ilmenite, iron hydroxides, and others) are of paramount importance for
palaeomagnetic studies. Ferromagnetic substances are characterized by magnetic hysteresis,
denoting the irreversibility of the curve of normal magnetization during the process of rock
demagnetization. Therefore, after the termination of the applied permanent magnetic field,
the rocks will have a remanent magnetization, which is not equal to zero.
Rocks magnetization is a complex phenomenon depending on a variety of factors such as
conditions of their formation, tectonic evolution, exposure to ambient influences etc. Part of
the rocks magnetization has the memory about the strength and direction of the past magnetic
field at the time of their formation or chemical alteration. Magnetic component representing
this memory is known as a natural remanent magnetization (NRM). It is the vector sum of sev-
eral magnetizations generated over the geological history of the rocks. They depends not only
on the rocks properties and the magnitude of the applied constant magnetic field, but also on
many factors, such as time, temperature, mechanical stress, chemical transformations, and
others. Consequently, the rocks NRM could bear several components ’imprinted’ on it by the
temporary varying geomagnetic field in different epochs. The magnetization acquired at the
time of rock formation—i.e. cooling below the blocking temperatures (i.e. the Curie point)
FIG. 1.2 Global network of geomagnetic observatories. Black dots, accompanied by the IAGA (International Association of Geomagnetism and Aer-
onomy) code, denote the position of each observatory. All observatories are members of the INTERMAGNET network. Based on data from http://www.
intermagnet.org/imos/imotblobs-eng.php.
1.2 Direct and indirect observations of geomagnetic field 7
of volcanic or intrusive rocks, deposition of sediments or metamorphic events—is referred as
primary magnetization. All other components acquired at later times represent the secondary
components. Consequently, the main question standing in front of paleomagnetic studies is
to distinguish between primary and secondary components in NRM. This is the foundation
of the accuracy and reliability of paleomagnetic information.
Rocks are characterized by various types of remanent magnetization. Volcanogenic and
intrusive rocks have thermoremanent magnetization (TRM), which is formed when the fer-
romagnetic material is cooled below the Curie point in Earth’s magnetic field (the Curie point
for magnetite is 580°С, pyrrhotite 300°С, haematite 675°С). Archaeological objects (furnaces,
bricks, ceramics, etc.) are also characterized by the same magnetization, fixing the magnitude
and direction of geomagnetic field in the time of their firing.
Time plays an important role in magnetization of ferromagnetic minerals in a weak
magnetic field. Therefore, due to the magnetic viscosity (i.e. time-lag in magnetization of
magnetizable material under the influence of geomagnetic field), the process of ‘viscous’
magnetization of rocks continues with time. Viscous magnetization (VRM) is formed under
favourable conditions; the rocks are exposed to the influence of Earth’s magnetic field for
millions and hundreds of millions of years.
Chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) is formed as a result of chemical or other
changes in the grains of magnetic minerals placed in a magnetic field, at temperatures below
the Curie temperature. Its properties depend both on the magnetic characteristics of initial
minerals, and on the newly formed chemical products, such as during the chemical transition
of haematite to magnetite, magnetite to maghaemite, etc. Chemical magnetization is wide-
spread in sedimentary rocks, manifested as depositional/postdepositional remanent
magnetization.
During the sedimentation of particles on the bottom of the water pool, on the land surface,
or in the layer of unconsolidated sediments (in the presence of a certain amount of water in it),
the clay fractions (like small magnets) are oriented in the direction of geomagnetic fields (or
close to it). However, the primary magnetization of the rock eventually decays, due to the
influence of various factors like occurrence of secondary magnetization, not being identical
in magnitude and direction to the primary one. The resistance of the primary magnetization
to the subsequently imposed influence of other magnetic fields is characterized by its
palaeomagnetic stability (describing its ability to preserve the primary rock magnetization).
It has been experimentally proved that each type of rock magnetization is characterized by
a certain resistance to the effects of an alternating magnetic field, temperature, and other fac-
tors, leading to the destruction of magnetization. The difference in stability is the basis of the
methods of ‘magnetic cleaning’ of rock samples. The essence of these methods is that a sample
placed in a nonmagnetic space is heated or exposed to alternating magnetic fields that grow
sequentially. At certain temperatures or amplitudes of an alternating magnetic field, the sec-
ondary, less stable forms of magnetization are destroyed. A good indication that an analysed
sample is cleaned from the secondary magnetization is the stabilization of the directions of the
residual magnetization. The remaining magnetization is considered characteristic, but it is
still necessary to prove that it is primary. To achieve this goal, special techniques have been
developed, in particular various geological field tests.
In resume, to date there is a full set of methods allowing collection of geomagnetic field data
in all ranges of its variations. However, as a rule, these data are unevenly distributed in space
1.5 Empirical models of the geomagnetic field 19
model taking into account dynamical relationships between the processes occurring on
Earth’s surface, at the core–mantle boundary, and in the upper core (Hounslow et al., 2018).
Petrelis et al. (2009) have proposed a simpler statistical approach for determination of the
polarity reversal, suggesting that it is driven by a nonlinear interaction between axisymmetric
stationary modes of geomagnetic field (e.g. dipolar and quadrupole) and turbulent fluctua-
tions in the core. According to the authors, the higher modes in Gaussian field decomposition
are born from turbulent fluctuations in the motion of electrically conductive iron in the upper
core. The geomagnetic field is approximated by the sum of the dipole and quadrupole modes,
where the latter acts as white noise on the main dipole component. Due to this noise, the
geomagnetic poles deviate from their stable equilibrium positions and pass into the
so-called unstable equilibrium points. Two further options are possible: the poles can slowly
return to their former stable position (a situation equivalent to the observed excursions), or
they will be attracted by the pole with the opposite sign—a situation equivalent to the ob-
served polarity reversals. Supporting their hypothesis with some quantitative mathematical
calculations, Petrelis et al. (2009) tried to explain the nonperiodic fluctuations in the rate of
geomagnetic reversals, as well as the presence of long periods without polarity changes; these
are known as superchrons. The authors also claimed that their approach was an alternative to
the numerical solutions of the system of magneto-thermo-dynamical equations, which itself
requires a lot of computational time and huge computational resources.
Thus, the theory of the hydromagnetic dynamo is by far the most popular one on the origin
of the Earth’s magnetic field. Despite the lack of data about some important characteristics of
Earth’s core, today it faces fewer difficulties than other alternative theories.
Since the observatories are located unevenly around the globe, as well as the points of
palaeomagnetic and archaeomagnetic studies, empirical model calculations are used to com-
pile maps of the geomagnetic field. One of the most representative models, using ground-
based instrumental observations, is the International Geomagnetic Reference Field, or IGRF
(Thebault et al., 2015). The model describes the internal geomagnetic field and its secular var-
iations in a spherical coordinate system (r, θ, ϕ, t). Introduced by Gauss in 1839, this method of
geomagnetic field descriptions uses spherical harmonic functions (Gauss, 1839).
On and above the Earth’s surface, the magnetic field vector is defined in terms of the mag-
netic scalar potential — .V. In a spherical coordinate system, V is approximated by the sum:
XN X n n + 1
a
V ðr, θ, φ, tÞ ¼ a : gm m m
n ðtÞcos ðmφÞ + hn ðtÞsin ðmφÞPn ðcosθ Þ (1.4)
n¼1 m¼1
r
where r is the radial distance from Earth’s centre, a 5 6371.2 km is the average Earth’s radius,
θ is latitude, ϕ is east longitude, and Pmn (cosθ) are the Schmidt quasinormalized associated
Legendre functions of degree n and order m. The coefficients g and h are now called Gauss
coefficients. They are functions of time and are conditionally given in nT. The Gauss coeffi-
cients g and h are calculated from all available geomagnetic field measurements for each time
interval. The 12th and earlier generations of the IGRF model allow us to calculate the values of
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Cases 70 4 26 2 20 1 22 1 40 3 11 1 17 —
Per cent. 100 — 37·1 — 28·6 — 31·5 — 57·1 — 15·7 — 24·3 —
3 Sheet lead and
lead piping:
Cases 102 4 25 1 29 1 47 2 72 3 17 — 11
Per cent. 100 — 24·5 — 28·4 — 46·1 — 70·6 — 16·7 — 10·8 —
4 Plumbing and
soldering:
Cases 186 30 65 6 49 6 65 16 114 22 30 1 32
Per cent. 100 100 34·9 20·0 26·3 20·0 34·9 53·3 61·3 73·3 16·1 3·3 17·2 1
5 Printing:
Cases 190 6 55 — 43 1 82 5 118 6 29 — 33 —
Per cent. 100 — 28·9 — 22·6 — 43·2 — 62·1 — 15·3 — 17·4 —
6 File-cutting:
Cases 174 34 85 8 34 5 48 21 49 24 39 4 78
Per cent. 100 100 48·9 23·5 19·5 14·7 27·6 61·8 28·2 70·6 22·4 11·8 44·8 1
7 Tinning and
enamelling of
hollow-ware:
Cases 84 53 26 13 27 16 31 24 50 31 18 16 15
Per cent. 100 100 31·0 24·5 32·1 30·2 36·9 45·3 59·5 58·5 21·4 30·2 17·9 1
8 White lead:
Cases 1,167 76 317 27 235 11 593 33 961 56 108 9 49
Per cent. 100 100 27·2 35·5 20·1 14·5 50·8 43·4 82·4 73·7 9·3 11·8 4·2 3
9 Red lead:
Cases 108 — 30 — 31 — 45 — 90 — 8 — 8 —
Per cent. 100 — 27·8 — 28·7 — 41·7 — 83·3 — 7·4 — 7·4 —
10 China and
earthenware:
Cases 490 572 102 86 158 181 216 286 297 469 91 65 87
Per cent. 100 100 20·8 15·0 32·2 31·6 44·1 50·0 60·6 82·0 18·6 11·4 17·7 3
10a Litho-
transferers:
Cases 20 28 2 5 2 8 15 15 17 27 2 — —
Per cent. 100 100 10·0 17·9 10·0 28·6 75·0 53·6 85·0 96·4 10·0 — — 3
11 Glass cutting
and polishing:
Cases 47 — 20 — 11 — 16 — 21 — 9 — 17 —
Per cent. 100 — 42·5 — 23·4 — 34·0 — 44·7 — 19·1 — 36·2 —
12 Enamelling of
iron plates:
Cases 38 14 6 6 19 4 13 3 31 11 7 2 — —
Per cent. 100 100 15·8 42·9 50·0 28·6 34·2 21·4 81·6 78·6 18·4 14·3 — —
13 Electric
accumulators:
Cases 281 — 58 — 70 — 151 — 222 — 40 — 13 —
Per cent. 100 — 20·6 — 24·9 — 53·7 — 79·0 — 14·2 — 4·6 —
14 Paint and colour
works:
Cases 397 21 111 2 104 4 176 15 290 16 61 3 39
Per cent. 100 100 27·9 9·5 26·2 19·0 44·4 71·5 73·1 76·2 15·4 14·3 9·8 9
15 Coach-making:
Cases 678 3 176 — 187 2 293 1 405 2 127 — 114
Per cent. 100 — 26·0 — 27·6 — 43·2 — 59·8 — 18·7 — 16·8 —
16 Ship-building:
Cases 261 — 93 — 51 — 108 — 181 — 41 — 24 —
Per cent. 100 — 35·6 — 19·5 — 41·4 — 69·0 — 15·7 — 9·2 —
17 Paints used in
other
industries:
Cases 405 42 127 11 97 7 174 22 238 36 83 4 71
Per cent. 100 100 31·4 26·2 23·9 16·7 43·0 52·4 58·8 85·7 20·5 9·5 17·5 2
18 Other
industries:
Cases 528 114 160 37 117 22 230 52 329 93 85 14 86
Per cent. 100 100 30·3 32·5 22·2 19·3 43·6 45·6 62·3 81·6 16·1 12·3 16·3 4
Total cases 5,637 1,001 1,588 204 1,389 269 2,522 496 3,800 799 871 119 758 4
„ per cent. 100 100 28·2 20·4 24·7 26·9 44·7 49·5 67·4 79·8 15·5 11·9 13·4 4
To reduce the size of the table, columns showing the number in each occupation in which (a) the severity of
attack, and (b) the number of attack were not stated, have been omitted. Of the former there were 170, and of
the latter 245. The total figures, however, in Column 3 include them.
Table IV. shows the severity of the attacks as stated by the surgeon, the number of attack,
and the main symptoms. The personal element enters into the character of the reports, and
symptoms which one surgeon might describe as slight another might regard as moderate,
or even severe. In general, however, “slight” includes cases of (1) colic without
complication, and of comparatively short duration; (2) anæmia in adolescence aggravated
by employment; and (3) either of the above with tendency to weakness of the extensors.
“Moderate” includes (1) a combination of colic with anæmia; (2) profound anæmia; (3)
partial paralysis; and (4) cases in which there is constitutional debility. “Severe” includes (1)
marked paralysis; (2) encephalopathic conditions—convulsions, optic neuritis, and mental
affections; (3) grave undermining of the constitution associated with paralysis, renal
disease, and arterio-sclerosis. The reports are made during the attack, and information is
not received of the sequelæ which may supervene, except in the event of a later report as
the result of fresh exposure to lead. Number of attack has reference to definite occurrence
of disability. Transient attacks which have preceded the disabling condition have been
usually disregarded. It was necessary to limit the number of attacks which might be
regarded as indicating chronic plumbism, and all those included in Column 10 are either
third attacks or cases of chronic lead poisoning. Among the main symptoms, the headings
“Gastric,” “Paretic,” “Encephalopathic,” and “Rheumatic or Arthralgic,” represent fairly
accurately the relative incidence of these in cases of lead poisoning in this country; those
under the headings “Anæmia” and “Headache” are useful in comparing relative incidence
on the two sexes, but they occur, probably, much more frequently than the figures would
indicate; those under “Tremor” and “Other” are less valuable. Under “Other” are included
“Gout,” “Nephritis,” or “Cerebral Hæmorrhage,” so that entry under this head indicates
chronic, rather than mild, lead poisoning. The conclusions from the table are easy to draw,
as, in general, the feature which causes severity of symptoms to be prominent leaves its
mark also on “Number of Attack” and “Main Symptoms.” Thus, in the industries in which
severe cases exceed the average (brass, plumbing, printing, file-cutting, tinning, glass-
cutting, ship-building, paints used in other industries, and other industries), the chronic
nature of the plumbism is markedly above the average, and some severe symptom, usually
paralysis, is also above the average. An exception to this rule is china and earthenware,
where severity is considerably below the average, but where, among men, the figures for
chronic lead poisoning and paralysis are distinctly high. It will be seen, however, that the
proportion of slight cases even in this industry is below the average. On the other hand,
severity is below the average in smelting, white lead, red lead, litho-transfers, enamelling,
electric accumulators, paints and colours, and coach-painting, and the symptoms in these
industries are, in general, colic rather than high degree of paralysis; but in them a severe
symptom which is above the average, in general, is encephalopathy. The explanation of
these differences depends, we believe, on two factors: (1) Duration of employment, with
which, naturally, the age of the worker is associated; (2) opportunity of inhaling lead dust.
The longer the employment, the more likely, naturally, if absorption goes on, is the plumbism
to become chronic, and to be associated with paralysis, its prominent sign. Duration of
employment among males in file-cutting and china and earthenware, as contrasted, for
instance, with that in white lead, is very much longer, and the same could be shown of
comparatively new industries, such as electric accumulators and litho-transfers. Thus, in
one year the age distribution and duration of employment of those attacked in three of these
industries was as follows:
Age Duration of
Distribution. Employment.
Under Over Under Over
Industry. 30. 30. 5 Years. 5 Years.
Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent.
China and earthenware 59·4 40·6 52·2 47·8
White lead 45·7 54·3 86·8 13·2
File-cutting 22·9 77·1 — 100·0
Persons employed in the manufacture of white and red lead, electric accumulators, paints
and colours, and the others named, are exposed essentially to dust from salts of lead,
which are readily absorbed. Poisoning, therefore, if precautions are inadequate, will quickly
show itself, causing certain workers to seek other employment after one attack. Poisoning
thus produced is more likely to induce colic, or, if the dose has been large or the individual
markedly susceptible, encephalopathic symptoms, than paralysis. On the other hand, the
slowness of the onset of symptoms in the case of brass workers, plumbers, printers, file-
cutters, and tinners, is more the result of inhalation of fumes or of dust of metallic lead than
of salts of lead; or if the inhalation be of salts of lead, then of these in less amount and over
a long period, with, as a result, gradual undermining of the constitution, showing itself in
paralysis, arterio-sclerosis, and renal disease. The two factors indicated obviously account
for the differences in severity and number of attack between males and females. If second
and third attacks are comparatively fewer in females than in males, it follows that, in
general, the attack will be less severe also, and this is brought out in the figures. Cerebral
symptoms—encephalopathy, to which headache may be added—are more than twice as
frequent in females as males. This may be due to idiosyncrasy, but it may very possibly be
simply the result of short duration of employment of young workers in processes where dust
of salts of lead is incidental.
Attacks generally are most frequent in the first or second year of employment. Thus, of
2,195 attacks reported in the four years 1904 to 1907, as to which sufficient data are given,
898 occurred in the first two years of employment, and of these 672 occurred in the first
year—that is, three-sevenths of all the cases were reported during the first two years, and
four-sevenths in the whole of the remaining years of employment. It is, unfortunately,
impossible to say what is the proportion of attacks among those employed for any given age
period. In some factories—as, for example, lead smelting works—the average duration of
employment is about thirteen years. The length of employment preceding an attack was
made out from reports on cases which occurred in the white lead industry in 1898—a time
when a number of new workers were taken on to replace the female labour abolished in
June of that year, and conditions as regards removal of dust were entirely different from
what they are now. The figures, therefore, can only be considered to have bearing upon
incidence under almost the worst possible circumstances. Of 155 attacks, duration of
employment was stated to have been less than 1 week in 3, from 1 week to 1 month in 8,
from 1 to 3 months in 62, from 3 to 6 months in 44, from 6 to 12 months in 12, and 1 year
and over in 26.
Attempt has been made to discredit the value of Section 73 of the Factory Act, 1901, on
the ground that the proportion of cases in which some degree of paralysis is present is very
high as compared with the extent found by other observers. The points we have laid stress
on—(1) duration of employment, (2) varying kinds and amounts of lead dust and fumes—
are, we believe, quite sufficient to account for, and give value to, the figures dealt with. To
them should be added another factor, though one of less account—namely, the extent to
which particular muscles are used. In the case of file-cutters, for instance, there is no doubt
that the cramped position of the left hand holding the chisel, and the work thrown on the
right in holding the heavy mallet, determine the direction of the paralysis, especially on to
the muscles of the thenar and hyperthenar eminences and of the fingers.
There is, however, difficulty in deciding whether such entries on reports as “weakness of
arms and legs,” “weakness of arms,” “muscular weakness,” etc., should be interpreted as
incipient paralysis.[A] With a disease like lead poisoning showing marked tendency to affect
the muscles supplied by the musculo-spiral and other nerves, the only safe course was to
include all these terms as equivalent to partial paralysis. Table V. on p. 54 shows close
parallelism for the six years.
[A] During the years 1910 and 1911 cases were classified so as to distinguish definite paralysis, as far
as possible, from the more indefinite terms referred to, with the result tabulated opposite. We have little
doubt that in most of the cases included in columns (3) and (6) some slight degree of paresis was
present.
1910. 1911.
Weakness Weakness
of Arms of Arms
or Loss or Loss
Form of Paralysis. Paralysis. of Power. Total. Paralysis. of Power. Total.
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)
complete — — — 2 — 2
Arms and legs -
partial 4 6 10 1 4 5
complete — — — — — —
Legs -
partial 4 4 8 — 6 6
complete 15 — 15 27 — 27
Both forearms -
partial 19 30 49 20 44 64
complete 8 — 8 5 — 5
Right forearm -
partial 6 4 10 4 7 11
complete 3 — 3 2 — 2
Left forearm -
partial 2 1 3 1 7 8
Fingers 3 — 3 7 — 7
Neuritis (including numbness of hands or
arms) 5 — 5 5 — 5
Other (including paralysis of deltoid,
muscles of speech, locomotor ataxy,
and general paralysis) 1 — 1 4 2 6
70 45 115 78 70 148
If it is difficult to distinguish rightly all the cases classed as “paralysis,” it is even more
difficult to determine what should be included under the term “encephalopathy.” We have
limited it to epileptiform seizures, optic neuritis (uncomplicated by epilepsy), and various
forms of insanity. Table VI. on p. 54 is interesting as showing how fairly constant the
numbers are from one year to another.
Except in the one industry of earthenware and china, in which a return of the number of
persons employed according to process and kind of ware has been made on three separate
occasions, and in which the reports of the certifying surgeons enable the cases of poisoning
to be classified in the same way, it is difficult to determine accurately the attack rate of lead
poisoning. Even in the earthenware and china trade many things have to be borne in mind.
The poisoning which occurs is not distributed evenly over all the factories. Thus, among the
550 potteries, in the years 1904 to 1908, five potteries were responsible for 75 cases, and
173 for the total number of cases (517), leaving 377 factories from which no cases were
reported.
Table V.—Forms of Paralysis: 1904-1909.
Form of Paralysis. Total. 1909. 1908. 1907. 1906. 1905. 1904.
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
complete 12 2 2 1 2 1 4
Arms and legs -
partial 62 13 7 9 13 9 11
complete 3 — — 1 — 1 1
Legs -
partial 25 5 7 1 3 5 4
complete 162 29 33 29 28 24 19
Both forearms -
partial 334 59 70 56 56 43 50
complete 39 11 6 7 4 8 3
Right forearm -
partial 62 9 17 14 11 5 6
complete 14 2 2 4 1 3 2
Left forearm -
partial 22 4 1 4 6 4 3
Fingers 36 3 3 7 10 6 7
Neuritis (including numbness of hands or
arms) 32 7 8 3 3 5 6
Other (including paralysis of deltoid, muscles
of speech, locomotor ataxy) 10 3 1 3 1 — 2
798 147 157 139 138 114 118
Table VI.—Encephalopathy.
Symptom. 1911. 1910. 1909. 1908. 1907. 1906. 1905. 1904.
Epilepsy 6 16 12 15 14 11 12 15
Optic neuritis 2 3 3 2 3 7 5 4
Mental defect 5 2 2 1 6 3 1 2
Total 13 21 17 18 23 21 18 21
The same state of things is found in all the other industries. Particular factories, owing to
special method of manufacture or special manner of working, may have an incidence out of
all proportion to that prevailing in the trade generally. And it is, of course, control of these
more obvious sources of danger by the efforts of manufacturers and the factory inspectors
that has led to the notable reduction recorded—e.g., in white lead works and the pottery
industry.
Returns of occupiers do not lend themselves readily to exact estimate of the number of
persons exposed to risk of lead poisoning, as they do not differentiate the processes, and in
nearly all factories in which lead is used some of those returned will not come into contact
with it.
In industries, however, in which there is periodic medical examination of persons
employed in lead processes an attack rate can be made out. It must be regarded as
approximate only, as in the manufacture of electric accumulators, for instance, medical
examination is limited to persons employed in pasting, casting, lead-burning, or any work
involving contact with dry compounds of lead, whereas the reported attacks include a few
persons engaged in processes other than those named.
Table VII.—Attack Rate from Lead Poisoning in the Year 1910 in Certain
Industries.
Probable
Number of Number of Number of Attack
Exami- Persons Reported Rate per
Industry. nations. employed. Cases. Thousand.
White lead 77,752 1,495 34 22
Red lead 8,096 675 10 15
Vitreous enamelling 3,064 766 17 22
Tinning of metals 1,475 492 17 34
Electric accumulators 13,065 1,089 31 28
Paints and colours 19,081 1,590 17 11
Earthenware and china 78,560 6,547 77 12
As has been mentioned above, the accurate information we have of the numbers
employed in the several processes in the earthenware and china industry enable us to use
the figures for that industry to illustrate, what is certainly true of all other lead industries also,
the fact of the relative greater degree of risk in one process than another.
The fall in the number of fatal cases attributed to lead poisoning, as is perhaps to be
expected, seeing that the great majority are deaths from chronic lead poisoning, does not
run parallel with the diminution in the number of cases. Thus, in the five years 1905 to 1909
the deaths numbered 144, as compared with 131 in the previous five years, although the
cases fell from 3,761 to 3,001. We believe this is due to an increasing inclination to attribute
chronic nephritis, and even (without sufficient justification in our opinion) phthisis and
pneumonia, to lead poisoning on the death certificates of lead workers. Copies of all death
certificates on which lead poisoning is entered as directly or indirectly a cause are received
by the Chief Inspector of Factories. All of industrial origin are included in the return. Of a
total of 264 which could be followed up, encephalopathic symptoms appeared on the death
certificate in 38 (10·6 per cent.); Bright’s disease, cerebral hæmorrhage, paralysis, or
chronic lead poisoning either alone or as a combination of symptoms closely connected, in
188 (71·2 per cent.); phthisis in 13 (5·0 per cent.); and other diseases, such as pneumonia,
etc., in 25 (9·4 per cent.). Table IX. brings out the relative frequency in the several groups of
industries, and, as is to be anticipated, the different average age at death when due to acute
and chronic lead poisoning.
TABLE VIII.—LEAD POISONING IN EARTHENWARE AND CHINA WORKS
(China, Earthenware, Tiles, Majolica, Jet and Rockingham, China Furniture and Electrical
Fittings, Sanitary Ware).
Attack-Rate per
Cases Reported: Thousand employed:
Persons Average per Year. Average per Year.
employed 1907- 1903- 1899- 1907- 1903- 1899-
Processes. in 1907. 1910. 1906. 1902. 1910.[A] 1906.[B] 1902.[C]
In dipping-house:
M. 786 17 18 26 22 23 34
Dippers -
F. 150 6 4 7 40 30 68
M. 463 3 3 7 7 7 15
Dippers’ assistants -
F. 397 13 18 17 33 46 45
M. 115 1 2 3 9 20 30
Ware-cleaners -
F. 461 15 18 30 33 41 65
M. 1,346 21 23 36 15 17 27
Total -
F. 1,008 34 40 54 34 42 58
M. 2,291 16 12 33 7 5 14
Glost-placers -
F. 120 1 1 1 8 10 14
M. 28 — — — — — —
Majolica-painters -
F. 358 6 8 10 13 14 20
M. 58 1 — 1 17 — 17
Ground-layers -
F. 157 1 1 4 6 5 13
M. 14 — — — — — —
Colour and litho dusters -
F. 143 — 1 4 — 7 33
M. 51 — — 1 — — 36
Enamel colour and glaze blowers -
F. 288 3 3 2 10 14 12
M. 327 2 1 2 6 5 11
Other persons in contact with lead -
F. 132 1 2 4 8 21 75
M. 4,504 44 41 80 10 9 19
Grand total - F. 2,361 45 57 80 19 25 37
(M. and F.) 6,865 89 98 160 13 15 25
[A] Calculated on return of employment for 1907.
[B] Calculated on return of employment for 1904.
[C] Calculated on return of employment for 1900.
The statistical evidence from death certificates published in the decennial supplements of
the Superintendent of Statistics[2] is of significance, not only in enabling comparison to be
made between one industry and another, in regard to mortality from lead poisoning, but also
in determining the other causes of death most frequently entered on death certificates of
lead workers, and therefore, if they are in high excess, as compared with male workers
generally, they are to be ascribed with some degree of certainty to deleterious effects of
lead on some of the principal organs. Thus, in Table X. a list of occupations is given in
which the mortality from plumbism in the years 1900 to 1902 was double or more than
double the standard. It represents the mortality which would occur if the male population in
the particular industry had exactly the same age population as that of “all males.” Further,
the annual mortality among “all males” is taken as 1,000, and that of males engaged in the
several industries is stated as a proportion of this. This “mortality figure” of 1,000 is made up
of the mortality from various causes (of which only those considered to bear upon lead
poisoning are given in the table) in the proportion stated.
The contention that, because lead workers die from certain diseases more frequently than
“all males,” such diseases must be the sequelæ of lead poisoning is untenable unless other
recognized causes of the diseases in question have been excluded. For excess of deaths
from phthisis and respiratory diseases the conditions of work and exposure to inhalation of
mineral and metallic dust or vitiation of atmosphere, in pottery, spelter, printing works, and
file-cutting workshops, sufficiently account. The figures, indeed, take no account of this, and
their value, in some at any rate, is still further diminished by the very large number of
occupations (several involving no contact at all with lead) included in the headings. With
exception of the strikingly greater proportion of deaths among lead-workers from Bright’s
disease, the figures are too contradictory to draw deductions from as to what are “sequelæ”
of lead poisoning. But this figure—160, as compared with 35 for all males—is confirmatory
evidence, if any were needed, that chronic Bright’s disease is a sequela. And, from the
pathology of lead poisoning, we believe that the granular condition of the kidney is due to
the sclerotic change brought about in its substance by microscopic hæmorrhages. We have
very little evidence indeed in man that this interstitial change is set up or preceded by an
acute tubal nephritis. While we do not deny that there may be some parenchymatous
change associated with lead poisoning, we do not believe that it is of the kind which gives
rise to the large white kidney, and we should therefore exclude such disease as a sequela.
But if chronic Bright’s disease is admitted, the train of symptoms associated with it—notably
arterio-sclerotic changes resulting in cerebral hæmorrhage and albuminuric retinitis—must
be admitted also. Unless it were established that granular nephritis were present in a lead-
worker before commencement of lead employment, we think it would be useless to
endeavour to prove that the condition was independent of lead, despite its comparative
frequency as a cause of death apart from employment.
TABLE IX.—MAIN SYMPTOMS APPEARING AS THE CAUSE IN 264 DEATH
CERTIFICATES OF LEAD POISONING.
Pneumonia,
Bronchitis,
Heart
F il
Failure,
Cerebral Colic,
Encepha- Bright’s Hæmor- Lead Hernia, and
Industry. lopathy. Disease. rhage. Paralysis. Poisoning. Phthisis. Aneurism. Total.
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Smelting of metals 1 6 — 3 5 1 1 17
Brass works — 3 — 1 1 — 1 6
Sheet lead and lead
piping — 1 — — 1 — 1 3
Plumbing and
soldering 2 3 — 1 2 1 2 11
Printing 3 3 — 2 5 1 3 17
File-cutting 1 11 2 2 2 1 — 19
Tinning and
enamelling — 1 — — 1 — — 2
White lead 13 2 2 4 2 1 3 27
China and
earthenware 8 24 14 3 6 2 — 57
Glass-cutting 1 6 — — 1 — 1 9
Electric
accumulators 2 1 — 1 — — 2 6
Paints and colours 4 1 — — 2 1 3 11
Coach-making 1 8 5 6 10 3 4 37
Ship-building 1 4 1 — 1 1 — 8
Paints used in other
industries — 3 1 4 6 1 2 17
Other industries 1 2 1 — 11 — 2 17
Total 38 79 26 27 56 13 25 264
Average at death 32 43 47 43 44 38 40 —
Causes of Death.
Diseases Diseases Diseases Other
Diseases of the of the of the Diseas
of the Circu- Respi- Diges- of the
All Alco- Phthi- Nervous latory ratory tive Bright’s Urinar
Occupation. Causes. holism. Gout. sis. System. System. System. System. Disease. System
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)
All males 1,000 16 2 186 105 145 174 57 35 17
Printer 994 8 3 300 111 125 131 55 42 15
File-maker 1,700 14 — 387 225 198 325 78 134 26
Copper-
worker 1,090 7 3 162 104 139 357 45 24 21
Lead-worker 1,408 38 — 165 134 222 309 14 160 —
Coach-
maker 824 4 4 129 113 129 150 46 39 14
Earthenware 1,493 8 — 285 131 219 473 57 33 20
Glass 1,260 7 4 283 131 177 268 54 58 16
Painter and
plumber 1,114 13 8 213 133 105 168 31 74 20
Other conditions which might readily be admitted as sequelæ are optic neuritis, following
on an attack of encephalopathy. No general statement can be made in regard to mental and
nervous diseases, gout, pernicious anæmia, as sequelæ, as each must be considered in
relation to the evidence adduced in the particular case, and after exclusion, in the first two,
of syphilis as a cause.
The distinction between causation and association has to be borne in mind before
admitting as sequelæ of lead poisoning diseases of bacterial origin, such as phthisis or
pneumonia, or any disease to which the affected person may be thought to have been
rendered more prone by reason of lead employment. The contention that a person may
have been debilitated by lead poisoning is no proof that the enfeeblement of the constitution
was the cause either of the bacillus gaining entrance into the lung or of the ultimate fatal
issue from the engrafted disease. Such assertion in every case must rest on supposition.
Evidence that lead employment predisposes to phthisis is not necessarily made stronger, in
our opinion, by existence during life of clinical symptoms, or, in their absence, of detection
of lead in the tissues post mortem.
In classifying causes of death, the general rule should be to select, from the several
diseases mentioned in the certificate, the disease of the longest duration. Exceptions to this
rule are that definite diseases ordinarily known as constitutional diseases should have
preference over the other diseases mentioned. After thirty-five years of age, certificates of
death from lead poisoning are almost always filled in in association with other diseases
which are the usual causes which lead to mortality generally. But neither phthisis, nor
pneumonia, nor any acute disease of the heart or lungs, nor valvular disease of the heart,
nor, indeed, any acute febrile condition, can have direct relation with—i.e., be a sequela of
—lead poisoning.
REFERENCES.
[1] Annual Reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories since 1898, especially for 1909, p. 19.
[2] Supplement to the Sixty-fifth Annual Report of the Registrar-General on the Mortality in Certain
Occupations in the Three Years 1900, 1901, 1902, by Dr. John Tatham, pp. cxix-cxxii, Cd. 2619.
CHAPTER V
PATHOLOGY
The pathology of lead poisoning has formed the subject of
scientific inquiry from the time that the association of certain
pathological symptoms was definitely correlated with poisoning by
means of the metal or its salts.
Acute poisoning, due to accidental swallowing of large doses of
lead salts or to use of lead salts criminally, generally produces a train
of symptoms different from those met with in chronic industrial
poisoning. But it is difficult to understand why so many writers upon
the subject of lead poisoning should have attempted to draw a hard-
and-fast line between the pathological symptoms in acute and
chronic poisoning. This is especially the case when the after-history
of cases of acute poisoning is traced, for in a large number of
instances a case of acute poisoning drifts on into a subacute, and
finally a chronic, stage. All the symptoms of paralysis,
encephalopathy, and even kidney degeneration, have been
described in persons who were first of all the subjects of acute
poisoning.
The direct effect of a lead salt, such as the acetate, upon the
mucous membrane of the stomach, is a caustic one, and the
attention of observers seems to have been focussed on what is
really a secondary effect of the lead salt, and not one intrinsically
associated with actual poisoning by the metal itself.
A good deal of experimental work has also been performed in one
way or another—mainly by feeding with, or inoculation of,
considerable quantities of soluble lead salts—but, with one or two
notable exceptions, such experiments have not carried the
knowledge of the true pathology of lead poisoning very much farther.
The statement is not uncommonly made that no definite correlation
exists between the symptoms observed in animals and those
observed in man, the reason being that the massive doses given to
animals cannot be similar to, nor can they produce results
comparable with, the slow intoxication taking place in man; although
the after-history of the majority of cases of acute poisoning shows
that the symptoms suffered are generally identical with the severer
symptoms seen in cases of chronic poisoning of industrial origin.
One of the chief reasons explaining this remarkable point of view
arises from the fact that the tissues which come into the hands of the
pathologist for post-mortem and histological examination are as a
rule derived from cases of chronic poisoning, cases in which the
acute symptoms have drifted into the subacute or chronic stage,
when any minute changes existing in the initial stages of the
poisoning have long since disappeared, or their significance has
been so far obscured by secondary changes that the primary lesions
are lost sight of.
A critical examination of the very large amount of literature
published on lead poisoning negatives the idea that acute and
chronic poisoning differ fundamentally in their pathology, and
observers are found describing identical pathological lesions
resulting from acute or chronic industrial poisoning. It is impossible to
review the whole of the existing literature. Kobert[1], in summing up
the general effect of lead upon the animal body, makes the following
general statement: “Lead affects especially the striped and unstriped
muscles, the epithelium of the excretory glands, the neuroglia of the
central nervous system, and is essentially a protoplasmic poison.”
We base our knowledge on definite experiments, so arranged that
the method of exposure was in every way similar to that in lead
industries. The only point of difference that can be urged against
them is one of degree; but as the train of symptoms produced was in
every way comparable with those suffered by man, this objection
cannot be sustained. The fact that the symptoms develop in a
shorter time than they do in industrial processes is merely a function
of the intensity of the poisoning.
An attempt will be made first to summarize the literature on the
pathology of lead poisoning, and, as such literature covers an
immense amount of ground, to group the pathological findings of
various observers, as far as possible, under four main headings—
namely:
Gastro-intestinal system.
Nervous system.
Excretory system.
Circulatory system.