There are many publications, and multipole decompositions, and numerical
simulations, and... The sort of understanding I seek is of a much less
indirect sort. I guess I'm a simple fellow. I figure that something well
understood ought to be accessible to me. Among the many current topics
considered to be well understood are several for which the overturn of a
fashionable paradigm seems to occur on a frighteningly short time scale.
That is my basis for reservation here. If Dr. Glatzmeier understands the
Earth's magnetic phenomena was he able to get you to understand it? If
so, can you now relate your understanding to the rest of us?
I'm afraid that is my ultimate test of physical understanding.