Earth’s magnetic north pole is shifting toward Russia, scientists say

Earth’s magnetic north pole is shifting toward Russia, scientists say


FILE- In this July 23, 2017, file photo the midnight sun shines across sea ice along the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

Earth’s magnetic north pole is moving away from the Canadian Arctic toward Siberia, according to scientists.

NOAA’S National Centers for Environmental Information has updated the World Magnetic Model to reflect the change. “Typically, a new and updated version of the WMM is released every five years. With the last release in 2015, the next version is scheduled for release at the end of 2019,” it explained, in a statement. “Due to unplanned variations in the Arctic region, scientists have released a new model to more accurately represent the change of the magnetic field between 2015 and now.”

Since 1831, when it was first measured in the Canadian Arctic, the magnetic north pole has moved about 1,400 miles toward Siberia. Its speed has jumped from about 9 miles per year to 34 miles per year since 2000. The pole crossed the international date line in 2017.


Scientists have updated the World Magnetic Model (WMM) (Courtesy of NOAA NCEI​ ​​ ​)

The reason is turbulence in Earth's liquid outer core. There is a hot liquid ocean of iron and nickel in the planet's core where the motion generates an electric field, said University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop, who wasn't part of the team monitoring the magnetic north pole.

"It has changes akin to weather," Lathrop said. "We might just call it magnetic weather."

The latest update will ensure safe navigation for military applications, commercial airlines and search and rescue operations, scientists say.

The military, for example, uses the WMM for navigation and parachute deployment. It is also harnessed by NASA for satellite tracking and by the Federal Aviation Administration for air traffic management. “Smartphone and consumer electronics companies also rely on the WMM to provide consumers with accurate compass apps, maps, and GPS services,” explains NCEI.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

https://www.foxnews.com/science/earths-magnetic-north-pole-is-shifting-toward-russia-scientists-say

Earth's Magnetic North Pole Has Officially Moved
Trevor Nace, Contributor | ForbesScience | 2/5/2019

Earth's magnetic North Pole has drifted so fast that authorities have had to officially redefine the location of the magnetic North Pole. The extreme wandering of the North Pole caused increasing concerns over navigation, especially in high latitudes.

Earth's magnetic field is known to have wandered and flipped in the geologic past. Earth's magnetic field is a result of spinning molten iron and nickel 1,800 miles below the surface. As the constant flow of molten metals in the outer core changes over time, it alters the external magnetic field.

What we've seen in the past hundred years is that the location of the magnetic North Pole has moved northward. That migration of the magnetic North Pole was switched into overdrive in the past few years, causing the pole to rapidly move. The increased speed with which the magnetic North Pole has moved prompted authorities to officially update its location. The official location of the magnetic poles is specified by the World Magnetic Model, which acts as the basis for navigation, communication, GPS, etc. around the globe.

The New Location Of Earth's Magnetic North Pole

On Monday (2/5/2019), the World Magnetic Model updated their official location of the magnetic north. The model is typically updated every five years and was last updated in 2015. However, the recent rapid movement of the magnetic north prompted scientists to update the model early. In the recent past, the magnetic North Pole has moved 34 miles a year toward Russia. Just a half-century ago, the magnetic North Pole was wandering about 7 miles each year.

Earth's magnetic North Pole is quickly moving from the Canadian Arctic toward Russia. The model update ensures the accuracy of work in governmental agencies around the world. Specifically, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Forest Service use the magnetic poles in their daily operations from mapping to air traffic control. On a more individual level, smartphones use the magnetic north for GPS location and compass apps.

Is Earth's Magnetic Field About To Flip?

While the rapid movement of Earth's magnetic North Pole may cause concern over the potential flip of magnetic poles, there is no evidence that such a flip is imminent. Geologists can interpret magnetic minerals in rocks around the world to reveal the history of magnetic reversals on Earth.

Earth's magnetic poles have flipped many times in its history, with the latest reversal occurring 780,000 years ago and 183 times in the past 83 million years. When Earth's magnetic poles do flip, it won't be a catastrophic "end of the world" scenario. From examining fossil records, there is no evidence that a magnetic field reversal causes increased extinctions, volcanic activity, etc.

However, one big issue will lie in the extensive use our technology relies on the magnetic poles. A reversal would upend navigation and communication systems around the globe. Thankfully, a pole reversal in the past typically takes thousands of years to flip. This will give us ample time to develop mitigating plans. In reality, when Earth's magnetic field does flip, who knows what planet our descendents will be living on?