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Electromagnetism

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A fan-made chart comparing the magnetic field strengths on the Island

Electromagnetism is one area studied by the DHARMA Initiative (as stated in the Swan Orientation Film).

Electromagnetism broadly refers to the phenomena and properties of electric and magnetic fields. Many events occur on the Island that ostensibly are caused by electromagnetic phenomena, especially those connected to the Swan.

Magnetic fields are invisible, tasteless, odorless, and can be nearly unperceivable without instruments. Because of this, it can be difficult to attribute a causal relation between magnetism and a given event on Lost. Furthermore, many of these events cannot be explained through purely scientific terms.

Electromagnetism on the Island

The Island exhibits a number of unique anomalies suggestive of magnetic phenomena. The cause and exact nature of these anomalies is presently unknown. It is suggested that they are inherent to the Island, as Kelvin Inman claims in "Live Together, Die Alone" that the magnetism is "geologically unique," i.e., intrinsic to the Island. Additionally, it appears that various technological additions of the DHARMA Initiative may have regulated or affected the magnetic field in some way (see below). Several phenomena can be connected to this magnetic field, with varying degrees of realism.

Sayid explaining his compass' deflection from true magnetic north to Jack in "Hearts and Minds"

Disruption of magnetic North

At least near the Swan station, compasses do not read a true magnetic north, as noted by Sayid in "Hearts and Minds". Desmond's navigation difficulties at sea in the time between "Orientation" and "Three Minutes" and those experienced by Oceanic Flight 815 prior to crash could also possibly be caused by a local magnetic field. Additionally, Ben's suggestion to Michael to take a heading of 325 degrees in "Live Together, Die Alone" may bear some relation to these observations. The Others also use a sonar beacon to allow submarine navigation to the Island ("Enter 77"), which apparently is not navigable by other methods.

Geologically, depositions of magnetically active minerals, such as magnetite, can result in local field anomalies of sufficient strength to interfere with the operation of compasses.

The crash of Oceanic Flight 815, as seen in "A Tale of Two Cities"

The crash of Oceanic Flight 815

See also: Mid-air break-up

According to the producers, the high field magnetic surge that occurred during Desmond's system failure resulted in the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. They also went so far as to state that the method of action was the disruption or destruction of electronic systems on the plane itself. (Lost: The Answers)

Plausibly speaking, the disruption of plane avionics could be caused by a high magnetic field, but this would not cause a catastrophic mid-air break-up. The physical effects of the crash (turbulance, the actual break-up, etc.) thus cannot be explained by equipment failure.

That said, the strength of magnetism required to cause avionics failure is dependant upon the altitude of the plane at the time of the magnetic event, which is highly ambiguous. In "Pilot, Part 1", Jack suggests that the plane was at 40,000 ft AGL when the failure began. The horizon visible from inside the airframe after the loss of the tail in the same episode is clearly above the cloud ceiling, and probably in excess of 10,000 ft AGL, but unlikely to be near 40,000 ft. "A Tale of Two Cities" however shows the breakup of the plane at a significantly lower altitude, well under the cloud ceiling, and probably under 5,000 ft AGL. For an altitude of ~40,000 ft AGL, sufficient magnetic strength to cause avionics failure might be conceivable through highly advanced artificial terms, but not geologically. Disruption of avionics at ~5,000 ft AGL is within the realm of field strengths reachable in special laboratories, but is still tens of thousands of times stronger than geologic causes.

Difficulties in broadcast communication

It was stated by Juliet in "Greatest Hits" that the Looking Glass station is responsible for blocking outgoing electric communications signals. Sayid also states that the broadcast from the radio tower is causing interference with the satellite phone.

It is difficult to imagine why this would occur. The radio tower presumably is broadcasting longwave radio signals, which are well outside of the spectral bandwidth of a gigahertz-range microwave phone. Likewise, a submerged station is an exceedingly poor location for broadcasts of any type of electric field, save ULF and similarly low frequencies, and regardless would not be capable of causing inference in a usable frequency range.

The exact nature of how signals from the Island are blocked is completely unexplained. Given that the signal from the radio tower have been picked up unblocked on the Island itself on multiple occasions, the Island itself has to be outside the radius of the signal blocking. But to accomplish that sort of block would require facilities encircling the Island at a reasonable distance from the Island. It also uncertain how so much of broadcast bandwidth can be effectively blocked.

Invisibility of the Island

Infinitely more improbable is the case that the Island's apparent "invisibility" is caused by electromagnetism, as is often suggested. Conventional physics suggests that this is possible, but it would require such an astronomically strong electromagnetic and gravitational field that life on the rest of the planet would be physically impossible. Also, any complete "cloak" would block contact in either direction. Thus, the Island might be obscured through hindrances to navigation, such as a local magnetic field, as discussed above.

An alternate explanation is revealed when Daniel Faraday notices that "light scatters different here"... this is due to the "Faraday Effect", in which a magnetic field will rotate a polarized light source. The strong magnetic field in the island has this effect on the light. This could explain why the island is "invisible" to outsiders...light scattered through the earth's atmosphere is (partially) polarized...if the light being reflected by the island is rotated by the magnetic field, then its possible that the island is difficult to view until you are within the range of the magnetic field. This is also why the sky turned "purple" during the discharge event (due to light scattering effects). Also, a strong magnetic field can rotate radio waves as well. This effect could be how the Looking Glass station "jammed" radio signals off the island.

The "Monster", as seen in "The 23rd Psalm"

The "Monster", tidal anomalies & healing effects

There is popular speculation to the effect that the "Monster" is a cloud of ferromagnetic particles (for example, nanites) suspended in and manipulated by a magnetic field. However, the complexity and strength of the field required would be far beyond current scientific understanding.

The tidal anomalies seen in "Whatever the Case May Be", which are unusual for a near-equatorial land mass, have sometimes been attributed to magnetic effects. Magnetohydrodynamic [1] effects could account for this; still, under normal circumstances, water is not responsive to magnetism.

The presumed healing properties of the Island have also been attributed to magnetic effects. Magnet therapy, magnetic therapy, or magnotherapy, as it is more commonly referred to, is "new-age" alternative medicine claiming to effectively treat certain medical disorders through exposure to magnetic fields. There is current research into, but no precedent for miraculous cures caused by magnetism in the scientific literature. [2].

Electromagnetism and the DHARMA Initiative

A DHARMA electromagnetic experiment, as shown in the Swan Orientation Film

As mentioned in the Swan Orientation Film, Electromagnetism is or was one of the fields studied by the DHARMA Initiative. On the Island, the Swan station was presumably intended to serve this purpose before the incident. It is unclear whether the DHARMA Initiative was responsible for creating the Island's unique magnetic properties, or was merely researching them.

Electromagnetism in the Swan

The most accessible magnetic effects on the Island were those located in the Swan. It was the focal point for at least three cataclysmic events linked to electromagnetism: the incident, Desmond’s system failure, and the discharge (see below). Similarly, the station contained many subtle hints regarding the source and nature of the magnetism on the Island.

Purpose of the Swan

According to the Swan Orientation video, the Swan was "originally constructed as a laboratory, where scientists could work to understand the unique electromagnetic fluctuations emanating from this sector of the Island." An unspecified incident, however, required the implementation of a certain protocol. This protocol was to be executed every 108 minutes, by entering a series of numbers in the Swan's computer (see pushing the button).

Kelvin Inman remarked in "Live Together, Die Alone" that a "charge" progressively “builds up” in or near the Swan, with an accompanying magnetic field. The mechanism installed in the Swan allowed for periodic "discharge" of these "amassed" energies. As well as "the button", a fail-safe mechanism was installed. The Swan station thus seemed to have some degree of control over the electromagnetic field.

Plausible mechanisms

Naturalistically speaking, magnetic fields are not "cumulative," though the strength of a field can be varied by a coresponding physical change or a change in the assosicated electric field. Fields of the strength seen normally in the Swan are geologically impossible, but could be artificially produced, except for the high fields seen during system failures.

An unobserved theoretical particle predicted by many superstring theories, known as a magnetic monopole, could hold a "magnetic charge" greater than zero. Nearby high-energy subatomic collisions could produce these particles, which could be used to explain the periodicity of the magnetic field.

Jack's key attracted to the Swan magnetic field in "Man of Science, Man of Faith"

Field characteristics before the discharge

Normally, the magnetic field was depicted as relatively benign and apparently did not affect day to day activities in most parts of the Swan. The only area where it was shown to be notable was in the mural hallway, near the concrete barrier. However, there were no clear indications of exactly how strong the field was there during non-catastrophic operation. Desmond's comment in "Orientation" about "pain in his fillings" – ostensibly, gold, silver, tin, copper, or zinc amalgam, all nominally paramagnetic or diamagnetic – suggest the field is fantastically strong. Likewise, the degree of attraction shown three times (see photos and captions) is fairly strong. These observations are probably suggestive of the >1 tesla range.

Eko's cross attracted to the Swan magnetic field in "Three Minutes"

However, when attempting to excavate the concrete barrier in "Everybody Hates Hugo", Sayid notes that the titanium plane part he used had "very little magnetic attraction" to the walls. In reality, titanium is paramagnetic, and would be little influenced by a weak magnetic field. On the other hand, if the present field is ~1 tesla or stronger, titanium might be useless as a tool due to its highly induced magnetization. This may suggest the field in the Swan was much weaker than 1 tesla at the time of Sayid's attempts. Sayid also remarks that the poured concrete shielding in many parts of the Swan is reminiscent of the Chernobyl sarcophagus. Normally, concrete is a poor shield of magnetism, if it does not contain rebar, wire gauze, and the like intended to constrain magnetic fields. Another note would be that the door that used to access the inner regions of The Swan Was sealed with concrete, suggesting the incident may of been a failure of an auto-discharge device, or that the field multiplied dramatically during The incident. It would also explain why a computer or another automatic machine was not able to automatically discharge the field.

Charlie's belt attracted to the Swan magnetic field in "Live Together, Die Alone"

Notably, IBM 3424 magnetic tape machines in the computer room would probably be disrupted if the strength in the hallway is >1 tesla. A system failure would have unquestionably blanked the tapes and possibly destroyed the pickup heads. It also seems somewhat cavalier to utilize magnetic data storage in a facility of this nature.

Purpose of the geodesic dome

Some have suggested that the metallic geodesic dome of the Swan computer room was a Faraday cage, which would protect the electronics inside. Conceptually, a Faraday cage suppresses the transit of electric fields through a given region of space. This does not extend to magnetic fields, however. To function properly, the metal blast doors would have to be shut (the room sealed) to properly create the shielding effect.

Equations on the hidden map seen in "Lockdown"

Electromagnetism and the blast door map

Main article: Blast door map equations

Several equations, likely related to electromagnetism, were contained upon the blast door map. Two notations also possibly alluded to fields with strengths of "10⁴ T" and "10⁶ T," (T is the SI abbreviation for tesla), though the exact interpretation of these two writings is somewhat unclear. If these did refer to magnetic field strengths, they are unimaginably strong. Interestingly, note that 10⁶ tesla is easily sufficient field strength to crash an airplane through shearing forces but the effects of such a field on the island would involve things not seen such as the levitation (although this may have been accounted for by the writers when it was mentioned by Charlie that he had seen a floating frog after the hatch had exploded "A Tale of Two Cities") and destruction of nonmetalic objects, like trees and likely the death of all life on the island.

The incident

Main article: The incident

Little is known of the incident, but it is suggested that it led to the set of procedures in order to keep the magnetic phenomena in the Swan within check by the Swan Orientation Film. The Blast Door map also alludes to an "accident" and an "incident." Thus, it is believed that many or all of the unusual magnetic properties of the Island can be closely linked to the incident or related aftereffects.

The concrete shielding in the mural hallway of the Swan was possibly added after the incident, sealing another section of the station. It is notable that concrete is a very poor shield of electromagnetism, and it was conceivably intended to prevent human access, rather than as shielding.

The Pearl station printout, as seen in "Live Together, Die Alone"

Desmond’s system failure

Main article: System failure

In "Live Together, Die Alone", Desmond's delay in “pushing the button” causes a "system failure," as indicated by the instrumentation in the Swan. The Pearl station printout also indicates this and confirms the correct date and time of the failure, which also corresponds with the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. A strong and increasing surge in the magnetic field strength is shown during this time. A considerable earth tremor occurred on the island as well. Desmond entering the Numbers successfully ended the system failure. Operation of the Swan after the system failure appeared visibly unchanged.

Events of the Discharge, in "Live Together, Die Alone"

The discharge

Main article: The discharge

Locke's destruction of the computer in "Live Together, Die Alone" prevented further "pushing of the button" and resulted in an additional system failure after the lapse of the remainder of the 108 minute period. The magnetic field strength subsequently grew to huge levels (easily >100 tesla) and resulted in the gradual destruction of the Swan as ferromagnetic items aligned within the field.

Desmond’s activation of the Swan station’s fail-safe mechanism during this system failure resulted in phenomena collectively referred to as "the discharge." Inside the Swan, this was seen as a white flash, similar to a nuclear double-flash. Outside, this was characterized as a loud low-frequency sound wave, an earthquake, and bright pink/lavender spectral discharge in the atmosphere above the Island for several seconds. The Hatch door was subsequently ejected and landed on the beach near several of the survivors. The discharge also was detected at the listening station.

Remains of the Swan seen in "Further Instructions"

Effects of the Discharge

Locke, Eko, and Desmond, who were inside the Swan during the discharge, were subsequently seen in "Further Instructions", apparently largely unharmed and distributed in the jungle. Desmond's clothing and Eko's stick were ejected in this process. Later in the episode, the remains of the Swan are seen as a deep crater, with metallic debris (or possibly rock) compacted in the bottom. Locke (and later Desmond) remark that the station apparently "imploded." Desmond further remarks that the "failsafe key must have detonated the electromagnetic anomaly;" however, this brief explanation is scientifically meaningless.

In "Every Man for Himself", Tom is briefly heard telling Ben that they'd "been blind" and that their "comms are all down" and he couldn't "get them back up again" since "the sky turned purple." Similarly, in "Not in Portland", Tom begins to explain that "ever since the sky turned purple" there has been some disruption that would have precluded taking Ben off the island for medical treatment of his tumor. Sayid refers to the discharge in "Enter 77" in a similar way, and Mikhail in "Par Avion" refers to it as an "electromagnetic pulse" and confirms that it caused a disruption in the Other's communications equipment and capabilities.

However, in "Through the Looking Glass", it is implied that the communications disruption was unrelated to the Discharge, but caused rather by Greta and Bonnie, jamming all communications on and off the Island at The Looking Glass station, on orders from Ben.

Based on Kelvin's comments, activation of the fail-safe presumably ended the need for the ongoing "containment" procedures. Additionally, this may have resulted in fundamental changes to the Island’s magnetic phenomena, although no persistent effects have been noted outside of the Swan yet.

Plausible Mechanisms

The science of the discharge is currently unknown and very difficult to explain. If the discharge is considered an instance of the magnetic field growing to enormous strengths and then shrinking to zero (or "normal") strengths, the "implosion" can be understood as the alignment of ferromagnetic and paramagnetic items with the field in that time period. The huge magnetic force required to "implode" the Swan would also compact nonmetallic matter (such as moist dirt), possibly to very high densities. The subsequent expansion of this material upon release of the field could explain the ejecta observed and the excavation of topsoil around the Swan station remains. Additionally, diamagnetic effects could be responsible for the apparent ejection of nonmetallic material.

Similarly, a strong magnetic field of this order can induce significant electric eddy currents in conductive materials, if the flux strength varies rapidly enough. This is often referred to as "electromagnetic pulse" or "EMP." Solid-state electronics are particularly sensitive to these effects and can be disrupted or damaged if the pulse is sufficiently energetic. Based upon the observed magnitude of the discharge, it is certainly plausible to assume that this could have occurred on many parts of the Island. Comments regarding the disruption of the Other's communications equipment can be understood in this manner.

The survival of Locke, Charlie, Eko and Desmond is yet unexplainable.

The Second Discharge

In "There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3" sounds similar to the discharge are heard as Ben turns the Orchid Wheel. A bright white light is also seen similar to the purple sky event at the end of season two. In the Orchid Orientation Video it is hinted that the electromagnetism of the Island could be the reason for the effects of pushing the Wheel and the Orchid Station itself. Desmond's key and the Wheel are definitely similar concepts.

Trivia

The man who discovered electromagnetism was Hans Christian Ørsted. All the letters of his first name and the first letter of his last name spell Hanso.
Another notable man in the field of electromagnetism is James Clerk Maxwell, who is mentioned in Find 815 (see: The Maxwell Group).
Michael Faraday's greatest contribution to science was the unification of the electric and magnetic forces.
According to the Blu-Ray Exclusive Feature Access Granted of Lost: The Complete Third Season (DVD), DHARMA drilled the earth and hit an area with large contained electromagnetic buildup. They broke into the anomaly which allowed the field to leak out. The Swan was built over this area to act as a sort of cork. DHARMA then came up with a scheme to "dam' the leak but with the drawback that the field built up behind the dam and would eventually break it. The failsafe perminantly "sealed" the leak.