Ok,
I'll say up front that I can't buy the scenario of that huge of a rotational shift being caused by a magnetic shift. But I basis that on physics and
data.
While the data is evident that there have been magnetic shifts, which I will differentiate from polar shifts; the events of such shifts take place
over a 'geological time frame'.
So yes I know there is data that say magnetic shifts happen, its documented in studies of the sea floor where new crustal formation takes place/has
occurred. It's a fact if you will. So yes I can say these shifts happen, as it is a geological fact.
However there is no concrete evidence saying that such shifts can take place in such a microscopic geological time frame as 3 years. 1000-10000 of
years is a bare blip in the geologic time frame of the planet's existence, so any 'sudden' magnetic shifts in all truth could span thousands of
years if not longer.
Then there is momentum. The Earth spins and if you will excuse a poor analogy, it's much like gyroscope. While a gyroscope is spinning it's very
hard to tilt over. Since there is no real resistance to the Earth spinning in space, there is nothing to stop this gyroscopic action.
And before anyone says 'but the Earth wobbles,' I'd point out the fact that the Earth is part of a 'solar system' and there are gravitic shifts
caused by the other planets positions and how they effect the Sun. It's all one big system folks, its all interconnected. So yes the Earth
'wobbles' but with the gyroscopic momentum and inertia that it carries, it is not enough to cause any real 'world ending' effect.
No offense to everyone who wants to believe the Earth is going to get a catastrophic flip, but seriously; even if the magnetic poles swap, it's not
going to have a real 'immediate' catastrophic effect on the Earth rotation or its axis. The rotation of the Earth can't be just 'pushed over'
like that, as it violates way to many laws of physics to just 'happen on its own.'
Could the Earth's rotation change enough to turn Texas into a jungle? Sure, could it do it in under three years? Only if a big fracking rock hits the
planet in such a way to change it's rotation. If that happens we won't survive it but the 'big fracking rock' would be patently obvious to first
the astronomers, then the general public when it comes.
Geological evidence says yes the Earth's magnetic poles have shifted, but it has always happened on a geological time frame. Which is to say while it
appears to be in an instant, it -really- occurs over a long time frame. Much longer than say three years, much more like thousands of year. So yes
magnetic poles shift, but the evidence says it doesn't end the world or change the sea beds (where the magnetic shifts are recorded in the plate
tectonics,) in such a manner to suggest that it has ever moved the oceans positions so radically.
Ok, so we can pretty much rule out a rotational shift occurring from such a magnetic shift. Can we see a change if how the magneto-sphere protects us,
it is possible, but then we are still looking at a geological time frame. So we would be looking at an infinitesimally slow change in where the
magneto-sphere is weaker or stronger and it's position relative to the Earth.
As to if there will be a 'soft spot' in the magneto-sphere due to the magnetic poles shifting, no there will not be such an event.
This is easily demonstrated thus:
If you place a bar magnet in your fist, with the 'north' of it pointing up, and then rotate your fist until the magnetic 'north' is pointed down,
at no point does the 'north' or 'south' of the magnet cancel each other out. This remains true no matter how fast or slow you change it's
position.
Also if you try to change the magnetic poles in an electromagnet you first have to turn off the power to do so, completely dissipate the magnetic
'charge/field', and then change the polarity of the voltage/current flow. Something of which can not happen with the Earth as it's core, rotation
and a host of other forces at work can -not- be 'instantly stopped' or 'turned off'. There are so many forces at work that it becomes such an
impossibility that you would need the fictional improbability generator and an ocean of tea to make it happen. (RIP Douglas Adams.)
So no, with out an externally applied change to those systems, there is no way the magnetic shifts will cancel out the magneto-sphere and let us get
baked.
Can a magnetic shift cause a 'end of the world', flood the continents, cause us to get baked from solar radiation, no. Can it cause problems, yes,
if an only if it can occur in an 'real time instant' (say with in 24 hours or less.) And then it's only going to cause problems with navigation
systems that functions on / relies on input from a magnetic source.
Frankly I suspect your car's GPS would not even notice, but your dash board compass might freak you out.
Simply put, the physics simply say this potential end of the world / global change can not happen WITHOUT an external cause. Instantaneously or even
in three years.
Can it happen, in a geological time frame possibly, and then I mean within thousands if not millions of years? Yes. In that time frame it's possible,
maybe even likely, but it will not effect us as humanity. Basically because the changes would not be so sudden humanity would not be able to
migrate/shift population centers/adapt.
But we won't see it in our life times with out something to make it happen. Like a big rock, comet etc. But then the Earth likely would not survive
such a collision, it would not be an extinction level event, it would be an a world destroying event. The Earth would likely be reduced to fragments
and and asteroid belt would form as the sudden changes would shred the planet.
The laws of physics pretty much blow this scenario out of the water.
So rest calmly tonight, as there are plenty of other ways the civilization can end, but this one I'd have to slap the [BUSTED] tag on.
M.