Paleomagnetic interpretations of reversals and excursions in numerical dynamo simulations

Abstract:

We analyze magnetic field reversals and excursions generated by a suite of new numerical geodynamo simulations. They cover a range of dynamical parameters that could be considered Earth-like. Their duration covers up to one hundred diffusion times, capturing multiple excursions and reversals. Our focus is to investigate the relevance of simulations to our understanding of paleomagnetic field variations, including reversals and excursions. The temporal variability of the numerical simulations is studied using time series analysis methods and we assess the global field morphology during selected excursions. These observations are then compared with a new global empirical model of the Laschamp excursion.