Magnetic fields and coral formation

[Captain Nemo 68]

Hello all, I'm new here and I hope someone can help me with a technical question that;s perhaps beyond the norm of this forum. Some years ago, I came across an article about crystal formation under the influence of magnetic fields. The crystal shown looked for all the world like Diploria sp! In fact it looked so much like that coral that I thought it MUST be more than a coincidence!

Unfortunately I lost the article and I forgot the details of the crystal or much else from the article, so I can not duplicate it now.

Has anyone ever seen any studies relating to coral polyp formation (specifically Diploria) being under the influence of magnetic fields?

You may contact me directly using my log-in email address if you wish. In fact I would prefer that since I'm not a tropical fish hobyist and do not believe I will have a lot of time to keep checking this forum.

Thank you so much if you can help.

"Captain Nemo 68"

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I think you'd have to have a big magnetic field to see a substantial effect on a nonmagnetic material like calcium carbonate.

Here's a study on calcium carbonate outside of a coral:

Crystallization of calcium carbonate in magnetic field in ordinary and heavy water

Hans E. Lundager Madsen, a,

aChemistry Department, RVA University, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark

Received 27 February 2004; accepted 10 March 2004. Communicated by R.Kern. Available online 24 April 2004.

Abstract
When calcium carbonate crystallizes from a mixed solution of calcium chloride and sodium hydrogen carbonate in ordinary water, the crystal size decreases with increasing strength of the magnetic field. This means that either the field accelerates nucleation or increases the rate of growth of nuclei, so that a larger fraction survives Ostwald ripening. At high pH, i.e. precipitated with sodium carbonate, or when heavy water is used as solvent, there is no effect of the field. Therefore, proton transfer is the rate determining step, and quantum effects (Pauli exclusion principle) are important. The magnetic field influences proton spin relaxation.

Journal of Crystal Growth
Volume 267, Issues 1-2, 15 June 2004, Pages 251-255



Also these:

Water Research
Volume 31, Issue 2, February 1997, Pages 346-350

Rapid onset of calcium carbonate crystallization under the influence of a magnetic field

Y. Wang*, J. Babchin, L. T. Chernyi‡, R. S. Chow and R. P. Sawatzky

Alberta Research Council, P.O. Box 8330, Station F, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6H 5X2

Abstract
Although the mechanisms are not fully understood, magnetic treatment of water systems has been in existence for over a century. One of the major applications is to suppress water-scale deposition on the inner surface of boilers, heat exchangers and pipelines. Three dynamic rates play important roles in the crystallization process: these are association, dissociation and nucleation rates. In this paper we report on a series of laboratory experiments concerning the formation of calcium carbonate from super-saturated solution. The results indicate that under certain conditions in the presence of an external magnetic field, the nucleation rate can be greatly increased. This was observed as a rapid onset or “burst” of crystallization within the bulk solution, and can be quantitatively described as the scattering of incident light—the so-called Tyndall effect. As a consequence of the faster precipitation in the presence of the magnetic field, the resultant crystals are greater in number, with smaller sizes and irregular shapes. This observation is in agreement with an earlier report on a different magnetic treatment method.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, there is a LOT of crappy science in this area, but here's another study:

Nucleation and crystallization of CaCO3 in applied magnetic fields
http://www.nature-technologie.com/magnetizer/media/Crystal_Engineering.pdf