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With the start of the New Year, the GCI team is excited to announce that we now have over 20,000 members! We are grateful for our growing community and your contributions and care towards raising global consciousness at such an important time of the planetary shift. The future of our planet depends on all of us because we are co-creating the world we live in.

The Magnetic Sense of Animals

As many of you may be aware, a large variety of animals possess a "magnetic sense."

The Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field which is generated by the flow of molten material in the earth’s core and the flow of ions in the atmosphere. Amazingly, a number of animals are able to sense this magnetic field. Just as a compass helps us navigate by detecting magnetic north, animals that possess a magnetic sense are able to identify direction and navigate over long distances. It is not fully understood how these animals actually sense the earth’s magnetic field. However, researchers have found that each of these animals have deposits of biological magnetite in their nervous systems. Magnetite is a small magnetic mineral. The presence of magnetite is not a definite evidence for the perception of the earth’s magnetic field. However, these magnet-like minerals align themselves with the magnetic fields of the earth and might act like microscopic compass needles.

Migratory birds use magnetic clues to guide their journey during migration. When birds migrate over long distances they usually end up in the same place, year after year. One of the first concrete signs that animals can tap into the magnetic field was observed by chance in the fall of 1957 as Hans Fromme, a researcher at the Frankfurt Zoological Institute in Germany, noticed that several European robins he kept in a cage were becoming restless and were fluttering up into the southwestern part of the cage. A paper published in Nature in 2004 reported, "Resonance effects indicate a radical-pair mechanism for avian magnetic compass," suggesting that birds "see" the earth’s magnetic field with their eyes, where receptors sensitive to magnetic fields feed data to the brain through the optic nerves.

Also marine animals, like salmon, whales and turtles to name only a few, are known to migrate with the seasons, and studies of turtles reveal that hatchlings have the ability to sense the direction and strength of the earth’s magnetic field, which they use for navigating along their regular migration route (Triverdi, 2001).

Figure: Earth’s magnetic field, courtesy NASA

However, even animals not known for their migration habits display a magnetic sense, also called magnetoreception. Recent publications from a German research group (Begall et al, 2008), made the discovery that cattle (and other herd animals, such as red and roe deer) tend to situate themselves on a magnetic North-South axis, as if involuntarily directed by the earth’s magnetic field. These surprising results were discovered when satellite images provided by Google Earth were used to analyze herding patterns and behavior. However, the built-in magnetic compass gets out of alignment the closer the cattle get to high voltage power lines, and the cattle then align with the power lines instead.

But what about humans? Dr. Kirschvink of the California Institute of Technology detected magnetite in the human brain and heart. Some people report that they can sense magnetic North, however, it is not clear if the magnetite helps the orientation sense of all humans. It has been speculated that maintaining a symmetric position to the earth’s field lines somehow influences certain physiological processes. For example, the onset of rapid eye movement in sleeping humans is shortened in the E-W orientation of sleepers compared to the N-S position (Ruhenstroth-Bauer et al.,1987).

Not only is there a fascinating connection between mammal and human magnetic sense, but also processes in the magnetosphere and solar wind produce magnetic waves which influence us.

The presence of Ultra Low Frequencies (ULF) has already been mentioned in previous commentaries. The GCI team is pleased to now have the ability see these ULF waves (also called geomagnetic pulsations) in the spectrogram data we are recording due to the new magnetometers we are using. These waves overlap closely with the frequencies of the heart, while Schumann resonances overlap with the frequencies of the brain waves. (To see the Live Data, click here).

Ultra Low Frequency (ULF) waves on the Earth are produced by processes occurring in the magnetosphere and by the solar wind. Some of these waves originate as far away as the Sun and are carried by the solar wind, while other sources are much closer to Earth. There are many sources of these waves, both external and internal to the earth’s magnetosphere. ULF waves are created by a variety of processes in magnetized plasma. Plasma is the name given to ionized gases (see "Plasma Sheet", in the figure below) which is formed by the earth’s magnetic field.

In a magnetized plasma at ULF frequencies there are three wave modes and a variety of names used to describe each mode. Any force that moves the ions also moves the magnetic field (and vice versa). Hannes Alfven was the first person to describe the process that creates a low frequency wave which propagates along the magnetic field lines, for which he received a Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1970. Hence, this wave is named after him. However, the Alfven wave is only one type of wave which can propagate in plasma. In addition, a gas (such as the ionosphere) also supports sound or pressure waves which travel through the density the gas provides.

The nonspherical shape is due to the solar wind. The surface facing to the sun is flattened; while the surface facing away from the sun has a tail, also called the magnetotail.

The forces of the solar wind are carried by charged particles that are pushing against the earth’s magnetic field, thus creating distortions around a cavity of the Earth, named magnetosphere (see figure to the right). The magnetosphere is the region in space where the the earth’s magnetic field is present. In spite of its name, the magnetosphere’s actual shape is nonspherical. Its shape and size is determined by the magnitude of the earth’s internally generated field, the solar wind pressure and the interplanetary magnetic field. The particles carried by the solar wind create a tiny magnetic field that shifts as it flows through the solar system. Scientists call this the interplanetary magnetic field.

The following paragraph is a summary from: Sources of variation in the steady magnetic field, Robert L. McPherron, Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 04 Nov. 2009.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/229754/geomagnetic-field

Visible phenomena from the collision of charged solar particles with the earth’s magnetosphere are called auroras, or the northern and southern polar lights.

There are also other sources causing variations in the earth’s steady magnetic field. Waves originating in the outer regions of the magnetic field propagate along the fields and reach the earth’s surface where they can be measured. On reaching the earth’s surface they cause minute oscillations in the magnetic field, and are therefore often called micropulsations. Magnetic pulsations have been classified into two types: pulsations continuous (Pc) and pulsations irregular (Pi). Because the frequencies are so low, they are usually characterized by their period of oscillation or the time it takes them to complete one cycle (periods from 1 to 1,000 seconds), rather then by their frequency as expressed in the number of cycles occurring in a second. There are a variety of interesting mechanisms that produce such low frequency waves. One mechanism is the resonant oscillation of the earth’s main magnetic field in response to interactions with the solar wind. In simple words, we can imagine a wave travelling along a stretched string. The magnetic field line tension is analogous to string tension, and when the magnetic field is "plucked" by a perturbation, the disturbance propagates along the field line.

In summary, the ULF waves seen on Earth contain information on about the processes that created them and the regions through which they have traveled. Each type of magnetic pulsation is further subdivided into frequency bands or ranges that roughly correspond to the specific phenomena that created them (Jacobs et al, 1964).

Figure 1: Irregular Pulsations

Figure 2: Continuous Pulsations

The first class of pulsations is characterized by their irregular form and is divided into two sub-groups, depending on their period (figure 1).

The second class, known as Pc, covers the whole range of pulsations with periods from 0.2 to 600 s (figure 2).

On the spectrogram, these resonant or continuous magnetic waves can be seen between 0.001Hz and 5 Hz (see green arrow in figure 3 below).

A segment of Pc-1 frequencies can be seen in figure 4 in the range of 0.2-5Hz.

The Pc1 waves are often created as the solar wind compresses the magnetosphere facing the sun. They then move towards the ionosphere along the magnetic field lines, interact with the ions and fields they encounter and finally end up being measured on the ground, (which was first observed by Sucksdorff in 1936).

Figure 3

Figure 4

The Impact of Pc Frequencies On Humans and Animals

Scientific research has reported that an increase in Pc-1 frequencies can affect the human cardiovascular system because Pc-1 frequencies are in a comparable range with those of the human heartbeat and rhythms (Kleimenova et al., 2007).

A study carried out in India on animals and humans also demonstrated that humans and animals can be affected by Pc frequencies (Subrahmanyam et al., 1985). The experiments on the animals showed changes in the electrophysiological, neurochemical and biochemical parameters. The following results were observed:

• Changes in the cardiac functions during exposure to 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz frequency waves.
• Biochemically: the exposure to 0.01 Hz to 0.1 Hz (facing North), caused an increase in blood sugar in animals.
• Brainwaves (EEG): An accentuation of alpha and beta rhythms was observed in humans facing East, indicating a state of restful mental alertness. Yoga practitioners had a more prominent accentuation of alpha and beta waves. The subjects felt calm and relaxed and reported a state of pleasant feelings.
• In normal subjects facing North, the EEG was reduced considerably (as compared to before the recording). The subjects experienced uneasiness, confusion and restlessness and a lack of sense of well-being when subjected to the pulsating fields. Some complained of headaches. The effects were less severe in yoga practitioners.

Obviously, the geographic location will impact the experience of humans and animals, when exposed to the magnetic waves in the Pc-1 range and more experimentation is required to study the effects at different geographical locations.

Subrahmanyam et al., 1985, found, that yoga practitioners were able to better remain in balance when subjected to stress generating fields. Almost two decades of stress research carried out by the Institute of HeartMath also provides evidence that humans are better able to adjust to stress when trained in heart coherence. The advantage of heart coherence is that even for people with very little time to spare, a few minutes of daily heart coherence practice can help to significantly reduce daily stress.

Much still has to be learned about the processes that generate the Pc waves and the GCI team is continuing to work on observing these waves in regards to our global coherence research. We hope to be able to report more concrete results in the future.

Time seems to be moving quickly and as we begin 2010 lets join our hearts’ intentions together in love as we acknowledge, honor and give gratitude and appreciation for those who have contributed both energetically and monetarily to GCI from around the world.

With gratitude,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and GCI Research Team

Much has happened since my last GCI commentary. New members are joining the GCI community from around the world and the membership has surpassed 17,000. In the research aspect of GCI, we have been testing a new sensor design since June 2009. Some of the members have noticed the brighter colors in our spectrogram data, which are due to the higher sensitivity of the sensor. The new sensor utilizes magnetic antennas and an induction coil with a low noise amplifier. The advantage of this new sensor is the compact design. Also ultra low frequencies, called geomagnetic pulsations, from 1 to 1,000 hertz can now be detected by the sensor.

In the graph above, these geomagnetic pulsations are indicated by the green arrow, below the 7.8 Hz Schumann resonances. So far we have only seen the geomagnetic pulsations during night time.

The Sun is in the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century.

The number of sunspots is an indicator of overall solar activity, in particular the sun’s output of UV radiation. The number of sunspots also correlates with the number of solar flares. Daily sunspots can vary between 0-200 or more. A sunspot-rich highly active sun causes an increase in the plasma density at the upper edge of the atmosphere, which is called the ionosphere. Weeks and sometimes whole months have recently gone by without a single sunspot. According to NASA, this solar quiet has dragged out for over two years, prompting some observers to wonder if the sun is napping! Scientists, however, are observing the reemergence of sunspots and it appears that the next 11 year Solar Cycle 24 is beginning to pick up slowly. See the graph for the sunspot cycle from 1995 to the present and the predicted Solar Cycle 24 by NASA above.

Interaction between the Sun and the Earth

The following paragraph is based on personal communication with Dr. Friedemann Freund of NASA.

A sunspot-rich highly active sun causes an increase in the plasma density at the upper edge of the atmosphere, which is called the ionosphere. The plasma density is particularly high over the sun-lit side of the Earth, corresponding to a large number of ions and free electrons. These ions and electrons cause the ionosphere to be electrically highly conductive. As the Earth rotates, the Earth’s magnetic field also rotates. This creates an interesting condition somewhat akin to an electric motor: as the Earth’s magnet turns underneath the stationary, electrically conductive plasma on the sun-lit side of the globe, the plasma forms current vortices above the northern and southern hemispheres. They flow 100 km and more above us. They carry several hundred thousand amperes. As the Earth turns underneath, these current vortices induce – in a diurnal pattern – electric currents in the Earth’s oceans and the Earth’s continents. In the solid Earth these induced currents produce a force that pushes the Earth’s crust into different directions depending on the time of the day. Integrated over sections of the Earth’s crust that behave as rigid plates, these forces can carry energy equivalent to magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes. When solar flares arrive at Earth, they impact the ionosphere, deform it and cause extra high levels of ionization. Thus they cause extra large induced currents in the solid Earth and extra large forces.

What is described here is a fascinating interplay between the sun and the Earth, mediated by the ionosphere. The forces produced in the solid Earth can be felt anywhere, on all continents. They follow a diurnal pattern, a seasonal pattern and a decadal pattern linked to the sun’s activity. In stable regions of the continental crust, e.g. in seismically inactive regions, the effect of these forces may be subtle and difficult to discern. In seismically active regions, however, their effect can be seen in a striking way in their capacity to trigger earthquakes. This triggering takes place when the vector of the induced forces coincides with the local tectonic stress vectors and when rocks along some faults are already stressed to near the breaking point. Under these conditions the induced forces are often enough to push the system "over the edge" and trigger earthquakes. The observed diurnal, seasonal and decadal variations in the seismicity patterns around the world are probably the most striking expression of these forces that come to us, ultimately, from the sun.

One of the remarkable effects of the induced forces is that they can stress the rocks at depth to the point where they release large numbers of highly mobile electronic charge carriers. These charge carriers, called positive holes, can spread through kilometers of overlying rocks and come to the Earth’s surface. There they set up very steep, though microscopically short-range electric fields. When these fields reach high enough values to field-ionize air molecules, the air begins to be filled with positive ions. The medical community has known for decades that positive airborne ions increase human moods and activity.

Interaction between the Sun and human excitability

As mentioned in previous commentaries, solar flares have not only been associated with global weather patterns, but also human social activity.

A.L. Tchijevsky
(1897-1964)

During World War I, A. L. Tchijevsky, a Russian professor of Astronomy and Biological Physics, noticed that particularly severe battles followed solar flares during the sunspot peak period of 1916-17. Intrigued by the connection of human behavior to solar physics, Tchijevsky constructed an "Index of Mass Human Excitability". He compiled the histories of 72 countries from 500 BC to 1922 AD to provide a database to articulate his correlations. After rating the most significant events, Tchijevsky found that fully 80% of the most significant human events occurred during the 5 years or so of maximum sunspot activity.

The solar connection to terrestrial events has been studied by scientists ever since then, but most of the focus has been on the sun itself and on the impact of the solar cycle on the climate, weather, agriculture, commodity markets and other non-human phenomenon.

When the data is examined, it appears that when solar-geomagnetic activity is changing most rapidly and is on the ascent or on the descent of a solar cycle, when solar spots are rapidly increasing or diminishing respectively, it has the greatest potential to affect human moods, behavior patterns, creativity and historical trends.

Throughout history, cultures such as Egyptian, Hopi, Ancient Indian, Mayan, Aztec and Chinese, believed that their collective behavior could be influenced by the sun. Seers such as the famous psychic Edgar Cayce, claimed that humans meditating together could influence solar activity and that such meditations can help to establish a more peaceful future and reduce individual and collective stress. More and more groups are continuously forming with this intention. They are stanch believers that prayer, meditations and collective intentions, over time, can help upgrade consciousness and facilitate positive outcomes for the planetary whole. This is especially relevant during times of increased "human excitability," and hence increased creativity and opportunity available from the energy influxes which occur during the increase of solar activity.

Evidence for this is provided from a historical study conducted by Suitbert Ertel ("Bursts of creativity correlate with solar activity"-1997) who examined the association between solar activity and oscillations in human creativity. Using time series analysis he examined the periods of flourishing and years of increased creativity in science and the arts (e.g. painting, poetry and fiction). The results clearly show that during increased solar activity, human creative activity also peaks. Tchijevsky contributes this observation to the fact that the influence on the human nervous system is greatest when the amount of emitted energy by the sun and radiation of the earth are greatest.

We are at the beginning of the next Solar Cycle 24, which will increase over the next four to six years. There are always pessimistic and fear-based projections related to any new energetic cycles that have an interactive influence with the planet. However, the increasing light and coherence on the planet facilitates new choices and the power to change our responses to energy influxes. That’s what the global consciousness shift is about: a chance to elect heart-based choices, then take charge and do things differently and respond with more consciousness, respect, love and compassion. It’s time to end the tendency to create and repeat the same old stress-producing "play-outs" each time there in an energy influx on the planet—such as solar activity and other energetic influences—that could bring benefits and creative opportunities to help humanity spiral upward towards the next dimension of active intelligence and heart-based living.

More and more people are realizing that solar and universal energetic influxes are part of a natural cycle—they are not "out to get us". Their effects depend on how we choose to respond to them. These influxes can be a great add-on to humanity. Yet people have to take responsibility for their own energy and elect to use this creative energy influx to create deeper connections and more caring interactions with each other and Mother Earth. The GCI’s intention is to help provide self-transformational tools and technologies that help people align with their higher potentials for empowerment, in order to facilitate positive global change during the influx of the next solar cycle.

The GCI hypothesizes that:

1. All living things are interconnected and that we communicate with each other via our biological and electromagnetic fields.
2. Not only are humans affected by such energetic fields, but conversely the Earth’s energetic systems are also influenced by collective human emotions and consciousness. Much of the planetary field environment is made up of the collective consciousness of the inhabitants.
3. Large numbers of people intentionally creating heart-coherent states of care, love, compassion and appreciation will generate a coherent standing wave that can help offset the current planetary-wide wave of stress, discord and incoherence.

A major factor in the global consciousness shift is enough people realizing the need to become more self-responsible for their own energy, thoughts, feelings and actions. It is each person’s responsibility to establish balance within oneself and with the Earth. Every action counts, and by "taking charge" and increasing our coherence baseline, this shift and consciousness upgrade will be reflected in the global field environment as well. This in turn will create a mutually beneficial feedback loop between human beings and the Earth’s energetic systems.

Though not fully proven yet, we at the GCI research center feel that using our heart’s intelligence to balance and manage our mental and emotional systems, along with meditations to increase our coherence, will raise our personal frequency pitch and energetically align us with the creative opportunities and benefits that can come with this next cycle of solar activity. More people are becoming aware that they have a choice in how they interact with new energy influxes—be they spiritual, astrological, solar, lunar, environmental or social.

The Global Coherence Initiative is only one of the many emerging groups working to facilitate the planetary shift in these adventuresome and sometimes challenging times. No facilitation is "more important" than another. With a noncompetitive spirit and genuine care, all groups and individuals add a helpful piece to the grid and are energetically connected to each other at the heart level to serve the greater whole. We at the GCI honor and appreciate the love and care these groups and individual light workers from all over the world have put into this cause.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and GCI Research Team

In this commentary I would like to focus on this question: Is there a connection between solar activity, geomagnetic storms and the Schumann resonances and human health and behavior?

In the last commentary, I discussed the Schumann resonances. Like a tuning fork, the earth has natural sound frequencies and these are called Schumann resonances. There are about 1000 lightning storms at any given moment worldwide, which excite the cavity. These resonances form in the conductive ionosphere which acts as a wave-guide. The limited dimensions of the earth cause this wave-guide to act as a resonant cavity for electromagnetic (EM) waves in what are extremely low frequencies bands (see figure below).

The lowest-frequency mode of the Schumann resonances is approximately 7.83 hertz (Hz), with a daily variation of about ± 0.5 Hz. The other frequencies are 14, 20, 26, 33, 39 and 45 Hz.

At the time physicist W.O. Schumann published the results of his research about these resonances in the journal Technische Physik, a Dr. Ankermüller, a physician, immediately made the connection between the Schumann resonances and the alpha rhythm of brain waves. He found the thought of the earth having the same natural resonance as the brain very exciting and contacted Professor Schumann, who in turn asked a doctoral candidate to look into this phenomenon. This doctoral candidate was Herbert König, who became Schumann’s successor at Munich University. König demonstrated a correlation between Schumann resonances and brain rhythms. He compared human EEG recordings with the natural electromagnetic fields of the environment (1979) and found that the first five Schumann resonances, 0-35 Hz, to be within the same frequency range as the brain waves in a human EEG and the 7.8 Hz signal to be very close to the brain’s alpha rhythm frequency.

The first five Schumann resonances overlap with the brain frequency bands. Note: Brain waves are grouped according to their frequencies and are labeled with Greek letters. Their most common frequencies include alpha, beta, delta and theta.

State Frequency Range State of Mind   Delta 0.5Hz - 4Hz This occurs in a deep dreamless sleep or unconsciousness.   Theta 4Hz - 7Hz This is associated with drowsiness. It also occurs at first stage of sleep and during deep meditation, when we are awake but open to mental imagery. It has been associated with creativity, intuition daydreaming and fantasizing. Believed to reflect activity from the limbic system and increased activity is observed in anxiety, behavioral activation and inhibition.   Alpha 8Hz - 12Hz This is the major rhythm seen in a normal, relaxed adult. It is present during most of life. It is considered a common state during alertness but not actively processing information. Alpha has been linked to creativity (creative people show alpha when listening and coming to a solution) and mental work. Alpha activity is also associated with overall mental and body/mind coordination, calmness, alertness and learning.   Beta 12Hz - 30Hz Beta reflects highly active processing. Occurs during normal waking consciousness and outward attention. Slow beta: 12-17 is normal information processing and mental activity; Fast beta: 17-30 is heightened alertness and fight or flight, or anxiety.   Gamma 30Hz - 100Hz This is associated with waking states and can occur when we are simultaneously processing information in both brain hemispheres. Whales and dolphins also operate in these frequencies.

Since this first discovery, more scientific research has posited that Schumann resonances are very important electromagnetic standing waves, acting as background frequencies and influencing biological oscillators within the mammalian brain.

As long as the properties of Earth’s electromagnetic cavity remain about the same, these frequencies remain the same. Some of the changes that occur in the Schumann resonances are caused by the solar sunspot cycle as Earth’s ionosphere changes in response to changing solar wind associated with the 11-year cycle of solar activity. As the mean intensity of the Schumann resonances increases or decreases because of day/night differences, changes in solar activity, global weather, etc., our brains and nervous systems respond to the changes.

Resonance may be defined as the frequency at which an object most naturally wants to vibrate. For example: In coherent systems, one object may set another object into motion if it shares the same resonant frequency. If, for example, you strike a tuning fork of 100 cycles per second and bring it near another tuning fork of that same frequency, the second tuning fork will be set in motion. Even though it has not been struck, the second fork will begin to vibrate and radiate a sound merely by being in the same field as the vibrating tuning fork.

Similar to the tuning-fork example, evidence shows it is possible for the brain to detect, tune into and respond to a Schumann resonance signal.

The question arises: How are we able to tune into the Schumann resonances?

The answer is that our brain possesses Zeitgeber, a German word that translates literally to time givers and refers to external agents or events that provide signals – in this case, the Schumann resonances. These external signals help the human biological system to become synchronized with the daily rhythmic cycles of the earth.

Research within the last decade shows that significant alteration in solar and geomagnetic activity caused by such things as geomagnetic storms can precipitate significant changes in the intensity and stability of a Schumann resonance signal. This can take a Schumann resonance signal outside of its normal range and induce alterations in brain and heart synchronization and changes in the brain’s melatonin level.

Some ill effects associated with changes in solar geomagnetic activity:

• Altered blood pressure.
• Reproductive, immune system, cardiac and neurological problems.
• Mental disorders, depression and suicide.
• Increased hospital admissions, accidents and sudden death, as well as countless other stress-related conditions.

A number of human reaction-time experiments have been conducted relative to external events and Schumann resonances. In 1974, for example, König showed that human reaction times were significantly correlated with the intensity of the 8-10 Hz Schumann signal. Ten Hz have been shown to speed up reaction times, while 3-Hz signals from local thunderstorms have been shown to significantly lower reaction times. This phenomenon can be demonstrated by changes in EEG patterns and calcium ion uptake in the brain.

The effects of manmade electromagnetic fields on human health

The electromagnetic fields generated by power supply systems, telecommunications, appliances, computers and other technology produced by humans are extremely powerful and in some cases have been associated with increased incidence of cancer, heart disease, depression and other diseases. Exposure to strong electromagnetic fields in residential areas and in certain occupations has been documented as significantly increasing the incidence or risk of the listed diseases. Certain groups of people such as the elderly, children, women who are pregnant and the weak have been found to be more sensitive or susceptible to adverse effects from these fields than the rest of the population. (As is often the case with research, there are opposing opinions on the existence or extent of such adverse effects.)

Thus we see that the Schumann resonances, geomagnetic and solar activity influence human health and behavior. It is exciting to see that the study of Schumann resonances points towards the interconnectedness of all (us, our planet earth, the sun, and probably many other planetary factors we are not aware of yet).

Much more detailed research has been carried out, but it is beyond the scope of this commentary to go into it.

So, in summary, researchers have found evidence indicating that human health and behavior appear to be affected by changes in Schumann resonances. Also, many scientists believe these resonances may be important in human biological cycles.

Possible future considerations for scientists with respect to the Schumann resonances include learning why some people are adversely affected by changes in them, why most people are not and what can be done to help those who are.

In addition to exploring whether mood and health are affected by Schumann resonances, researchers also have studied whether there is a link between historical events such as wars and social unrest with the solar cycle and resulting changes in ionospheric activity. I will write more on this subject in an upcoming commentary.

Allow me to mention two items not directly related to today’s topic:

• Because increased geomagnetic activity can cause an imbalance in heart-brain synchronization, we want to encourage you to practice coherence regularly to help you maintain that balance.
• You probably have received e-mails about the GCI’s current Interconnectedness Study, which is aimed at helping us gain a more holistic picture of human health and behavior and how these are influenced by various planetary factors. We will keep you informed about the results. A likely second Interconnectedness Study, in case you missed out on this one, should take place in about six months.

Remember what Albert Einstein said: "Everything in life is vibration."

Until next time, best wishes for good vibrations in your life,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and GCI Research Team

First and foremost I want to thank all of you for providing so much insightful feedback to my last commentary. Have you heard, our global coherence community now has over 13,000 members?

Two major events have happened since my last update: A 5.8-magnitude earthquake in Italy claimed the lives of nearly 300 people and left 29,000 homeless; and the swine flu outbreak, which had reached 2,500 confirmed cases worldwide as of May 8 and resulted in 44 deaths – 42 in Mexico and two in the U.S. – threatened for a time to become a pandemic, creating a great deal of fear and anxiety.

Many questions have been asked and I will address one of the most frequent: What happened during Obama’s inauguration? In the following, I explain a case study of data from our magnetometer, Maggie, as well as data provided by researcher Roger Nelson from the Global Consciousness Project random number generator (RNG) network. The information from Maggie illustrates the kind of data we are starting to see with the ultrasensitive magnetometer and what it may be telling us. We are on the frontier where new science is created, and we are glad you are on board with us.

For those interested in the scientific background, I will continue to explain some more basics behind GCI and the ionosphere and magnetometer data. Feel free to scroll down to the data related to Obama’s inauguration if you would like to skip this science.

Earth’s Atmosphere, Schumann Resonance and the Ionosphere

As mentioned in the previous commentary, the Earth is surrounded by a blanket of air reaching over 350 miles into space. The atmosphere is essential for life on the planet. It provides the air we breathe, water is recycled and the ozone layer protects us from the harmful effects of ultraviolet light, which can cause skin cancer. The atmosphere has four layers, the troposphere (about 0-10 miles), stratosphere (about 10-30 miles), mesosphere (about 30-50 miles) and thermosphere about 50-375 miles, see figure from NASA below).

Within the thermosphere is a band called the ionosphere that begins about 50 miles out from the Earth’s surface and extends out to about 180 miles. It consists of charged particles. This highly dynamic region is constantly exposed to the full intensity of the sun; harsh ultraviolet radiation is breaking down molecules and atoms. Highly charged ions and free electrons therefore fill the ionospheric layers. A solar storm can pump charged particles into the magnetosphere and ionosphere. The ionosphere consists of three basic layers: D, E, and two F layers; during the night the D layer disappears, the E layer nearly disappears and the F layers combine (see figure from NASA below).

Scientists have found that extreme solar activity drastically compresses the magnetosphere (the protective magnetic bubble carved out by Earth’s magnetic field) and modifies the composition of ions in the near-Earth space. These changes and disruptions in the ionosphere are detected by magnetometers.

Such increased solar activity affects the ionosphere, upper atmosphere, and Earth’s weather. This is why monitoring and forecasting its impact on near-Earth space is becoming increasingly critical to safeguarding daily life on Earth.

You can watch the effect of extreme solar activity on Earth’s magnetosphere by following this link: www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/hires/watchingsola.gif.

Schumann Resonances:

Schumann resonances (SR) are the electromagnetic frequencies of the Earth-ionosphere cavity (see figure below) and were first predicted by W.O. Schumann (1952). Electromagnetic impulses, like those from global lightening flashes (the world’s thunderstorm activity) fill this cavity and excite the Schumann resonances. Resonances can be observed at around 7.8, 14, 20, 26, 33, 39 and 45 Hz (see the live data at www.glcoherence.org/monitoring-system/live-data.html).

The observation of Schumann resonances can provide valuable information about solar activity, world thunderstorm activity, properties of the upper dissipative boundary layer, the Earth-ionosphere cavity and climatic changes. It has been found in previous studies that the Schumann resonances can influence human health indicators such as blood pressure, and it is likely that they also affect cardiac and neurological disease, violence and war, some of which was discussed in my last commentary.

Random Number Generators (RNGs) and Maggie – IHM’s Magnetometer: Data and Intentionality

An RNG is an electrical device that randomly produces a sequence of numbers – either 0 or 1 – 200 times a second) which should be a random string of numbers that equal out to 100 0’s and 100 1’s and that results in a flat line when they are all added together. Roger Nelson started the Global Consciousness Project when he was at Princeton University and is a collaborator with the GCI (http://noosphere.princeton.edu/).

During events in which millions of people share emotions globally such as Barack Obama’s Inauguration, many people seem to come into alignment, or coherence.. In this case, the random production of 0’s and 1’s from 65 RNGs at host sites in 41 countries went out of balance: Small, but meaningful differences from expectations can be seen in the data (for example, more 1’s than 0’s were produced or more 0’s than 1’s). This is also true for events in which the power of group focus such as during meditations has been applied intentionally, with the goal of having a positive impact on troubled areas on the planet, whether it is a war zone or an area struck by natural catastrophe. Although RNG data can detect imminent events, it does not tell us what is in store.

Obama’s Inauguration:

RNG data

To help us better understand the global impact of Obama’s inauguration, we will examine the RNG data from the Global Consciousness Program (see figure 1. below) and our "Maggie" data.

The formal event specification for the inauguration was extended both before and after the swearing-in, attempting to capture the anticipation and the celebration of the estimated 1.5 to 2 million people in Washington D.C., and hundreds of millions watching the ceremonies on TV around the world. The event was set for 6 a.m. on the 20th to 2 a.m. on the 21st, EST.

The result is graphically quite striking, with no trend for the first four hours. Then there is a very steady trend showing smaller than expected network variance for about 12 hours, and finally a change to a period of relatively large variance. For a more detailed explanation, go to the Global Consciousness Project Web site at http://noosphere.princeton.edu/.

Maggie Data

The following two graphs show some preliminary data from Maggie, the magnetic field detector developed by the Global Coherence Initiative research and development team to monitor the resonances occurring in the plasma waves constantly circling the Earth in the ionosphere.

Figure 2 is a frequency-time spectrogram of the horizontal component of the Schumann resonances. Within the spectrograms, the power of the intensity at the right side of Figure 2 of a given frequency is coded in a color scale, with yellow being the most intense. The typically daily variations in the intensity of the resonances can be seen in the figures. The time of the presidential swearing-in at 12 p.m. EST on the 20th is noted by the red arrow. At the left of Figure 2 is a vertical section through the spectrogram showing the typical resonance structure for Jan 16 on the upper row and Jan 20 on the lower row.

The resonances are shown by the red lines that appear as horizontal lines with frequencies of 7.8, 14, 20, 26, 33 and 39 hertz. The daily time periods shown in each daily plot are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST. The grey boxes were added to omit the data that was contaminated on several of the days by a local noise source – a solar charger that was being eliminated.

GCI researchers note that an interesting observation of this data is the pronounced change in the activity level of the resonances. As shown in both figures, there is a pronounced drop in intensity on the day of the inauguration that persisted during the three days following it. The GCI research team has been exploring changes in space weather and other indicators of ionospheric activity such as ion density that could explain the changes in resonance intensity. So far, the changes do not appear to correlate with other indicators that are known to affect ionospheric activity. However, it is possible that we are seeing an effect of human consciousness acting on global weather patterns.

Similar observations were made during another event, World Sound Day, on Feb. 14 of this year, but we are still exploring the data. Data comparable to Obama’s inauguration for RNGs and Maggie were obtained. This was a day when people around the planet took five minutes to send a sonic Valentine to the Earth with the heart sound "AH," which was filled with the intention of peace and love.

Obviously, so far we can only speculate about the meaning of the data, and we are excited about continuing this interesting journey of helping to increase global coherence. Might the alignment of many millions of people in most countries of the world cause a quiet period in the magnetometer data? Does the data correspond with uniting the emotions of many, allowing for more global peace and harmony? Because solar storms increase the intensity in the level of resonance, which in turn causes health challenges, violence etc., the data could be a first indicator that we are taking the right steps with our innovative research in monitoring the ionosphere.

So far we have taken an exploratory look at the possibility of global events being the catalyst for the kind of coherence that we think of as a global consciousness. A word of caution, however: Our research team knows that to scientifically prove our theory, the real effect only can be identified by repeatedly monitoring events that have similar impact.

In closing our commentary today, and in appreciation of Earth,

"The mountains, rivers, earth, grasses, trees, and forests are always emanating a subtle, precious light, day and night, always emanating a subtle, precious sound, demonstrating and expounding to all people the unsurpassed ultimate truth." –Yuan-Sou

Best wishes for much coherence, health and harmony to you all,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and a member of the GCI research team

Because of members’ many questions, I will cover some of the basics of the science behind the Global Coherence Initiative in the first few GCI commentaries. This will include sun-earth interactions and the ionosphere and how they affect our health and well-being. I will also explain how the magnetometers at our sensor sites work. Send your questions and I will try to address as many as possible in the GCI Commentaries.

There is a strong connection between the sun and Earth. A rotating molten-iron core in the earth generates a magnetic field that has fluctuated throughout history. The strength of Earth’s magnetic field has been decreasing steadily, at a rate of about 5% per century, since we began measuring it in the mid-1800s.

The sun has an 11-year cycle in which its magnetic field changes dramatically. Especially during the solar maximum, sun spots and solar flares that form eject powerful bursts of matter and energy into the solar system. Earth is surrounded by a bubble of air, reaching 350 miles into space, and within it lies the ionosphere, which GCI monitors at sensor sites. The solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field by flattening the magnetic field on the sunward side and stretching it out on the downwind side, causing a so-called "magnetotail" (see image by NASA). The solar wind varies over periods as short as seconds. When solar blasts, and their associated magnetic field, reach Earth’s magnetosphere, highly energized particles can be extracted from the solar wind into the magnetosphere, producing auroras and causing a geomagnetic storm, which in turn creates magnetic-field variations and affects whatever lies within it.

When Earth’s orbit and solar flares intersect, many disruptions are experienced in radio communication, satellites, climate and our bodies. Life and the electrical potential of Earth vary with solar activity. In turn, alternating electrical fields, like those generated by geomagnetic storms, change bioelectricity, animals’ rhythms and blood dynamics.

Solar activity, geomagnetic activity and weather are correlated to changes in blood pressure, blood composition and the physical and chemical state of humans, causing higher rates of depression, heart attacks and deaths. This is reflected not only in individual and group biologic and emotional systems, but in natural, social and political systems as well.

Also, human aggression, as seen in national and international conflicts, terrorist attacks and wars, occur in cycles that can be linked to solar and geomagnetic activity. (More about social influences will be presented in an upcoming GCI report.)

Findings include the following:

• There is a statistically significant increase in male hospital admissions for depression the second week after geomagnetic storms. (Kay, 1994)
• On days after a geomagnetic storm, the incidence of myocardial infarction – heart attack – increases by 7%. (Cornelissen et al., 1999)
• Over a 30-year span, approximate weekly, yearly and 10.5-year rhythms have been observed in heart-disease related mortality in Minnesota. Medical officials reported an additional 220 such cases per year during maximal solar activity – a 5% increase – compared to years of minimal solar activity. (Cornelissen et al., 1999)
• Approximate weekly and yearly rhythms are observed in heart disease-related mortality. (Cornelissen et al., 1999)
• A Meta analysis of 47 studies shows the incidence of myocardial infarction increased on Mondays with a secondary peak on Thursdays and Fridays – correlating with solar and geomagnetic activity. (Cornelissen et al., 1999)
• The weekly rhythm in reduced heart-rate variability for middle-aged individuals, characterized by decreases on Mondays and Fridays, correlates with the weekly pattern of cardiovascular events and geomagnetic influences. (Cornelissen et al., 1999)

To better describe the sun-Earth interaction, Mitch Battros, a science writer, came up with following equation for the relationship between the sun and the earth:

Sunspots => Solar Flares => Magnetic Field Shift => Shifting Ocean and Jet Streams => Extreme Weather and Human Disruption

Solar cycle 24 has begun and it has been predicted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that it will be up to 50% stronger than its record-breaking predecessor, Solar cycle 23. The sun is predicted to reach its apex, or maximum (of activity) in late 2011 into 2012. What might this increased activity hold in store for us?

Variations in Earth’s magnetic field are measured by magnetometers. For the Global Coherence Initiative, IHM engineers have built a magnetometer nicknamed "Maggie," which is located in Boulder Creek, Calif. The GCI is establishing a network of global sensor sites to study these and related phenomena and to expand the dimensions of its research on emotional physiology, heart-brain interactions and the physiology of optimal health and performance. The function of this network is to investigate the relationship between the magnetic forces in the earth and ionosphere, as well as other more established measures of solar/geomagnetic activity and human biologic systems.

This Global Coherence Monitoring System will utilize a network of 12 sensor sites strategically placed around the world. Each site will include an ultrasensitive magnetic field detector to detect ionospheric disturbances and resonances, a geomagnetic static field detector and a random number generator (RNG). Data gathered from these detectors will be integrated with NOAA data to provide a picture of the earth’s energetics.

This is all the science behind GCI for this commentary.

Another area to be explored in a future GCI commentaries will be whether we are not only affected by the sun and earth’s geomagnetic activity, but if we as human beings, with our consciousness, might actually cause or influence the sun’s activity?

Edgar Cayce, the famous of the 20^th century clairvoyant, once gave a reading about sun spots in which he said:

Sunspots, as well as earth changes, are reflections of our own state of consciousness, a result of our own actions, the boomerang of divine law. Sunspots are reflections of the "turmoil and strife" that we ourselves have created, and our own mind is "the builder." The responsibility for earth changes lies squarely on our shoulders, and how we conduct our relationships with others has everything to do with the changing face of the earth. Earth changes are "adjustments" that have to be made because something is out of alignment. Just as we create chaotic conditions by our own out-of-alignment behavior, so we can create positive transformation by our loving attitudes and actions." (Reading #5757-1)

Finally, we’ll explore at greater length the effects of changes in geomagnetism and sun-Earth interactions on natural phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes and violent storms in an upcoming commentary.

With loving care,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and GCMS Research Team

I recently started working with the Global Coherence Initiative research team for the Institute of HeartMath and I am excited to introduce myself today.

My name is Dr. Annette Deyhle. I have been working in the field of earth sciences for over 13 years. I spent the last five years of my career at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (UC San Diego), at the beautiful surfer beach in La Jolla, Calif. My expertise is in the fields of geology and geochemistry. I was working on understanding the geology and chemistry behind earthquake processes, volcanism and plate tectonics.

Although I’ve been able to achieve a lot of success as a scientist and am well published, deep in my heart I felt there was more to Earth’s processes than current scientific explanations led me to believe. While the process of taking samples and scientific analyses are continuously improving, it is a well-known fact that it has not been possible to reliably predict impending earthquakes or their magnitude and potential for destruction (or other natural catastrophes). The last devastating earthquake, one of the eight most devastating in human history, hit China in 2008. When will the next big one hit – and where?

Are Earth’s processes a solely mechanical process, not predictable and unrelated to the doings of the inhabitants of this planet? Are we random victims of natural catastrophes, or is there a deeper connection between "Mother Earth" and its amazing beings, specifically us human beings? Could there even be a connection between the human consciousness and the earth, other planets and the universe?

Because I was longing for a deeper meaning in my work as a scientist, in which I could be of service to planet Earth and humankind, I joined the amazing team of scientists with the Global Coherence Initiative amid the redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains in Boulder Creek, Calif. I will be writing commentaries regularly for GCI to keep you informed about its progress.

We are excited to have over 10,000 members in 56 countries already. GCI is on the leading edge of merging science with "spirituality": In other words, GCI’s intention is to support all of us in coming together as a global community, living in peace and harmony with each other and the Earth.

New science has always been developed by embracing the new and unknown. We would like to invite you to embark with us on this exciting journey of increasing love and care for this planet and its magnificent beings. Every few weeks, I will write a commentary about our progress with GCI, and I invite you to participate in this co-creative endeavor.

I will write about the intimate connection between the sun, earth and human beings in an upcoming update for those interested in the science behind GCI and also to illustrate the interconnectedness or Oneness of all things. The sun-earth connection is not a new theory. It is of importance to GCI, however, because we are working with geomagnetic fields and earth energetics as a measure for increasing global consciousness. Also, much is still to be learned about the connection of the global-consciousness and sun-earth interactions – as well as other planetary interactions.

Heartfully,

Annette Deyhle, Ph.D. and GCMS Research Team

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