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Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Is Moving Toward Siberia, and Scientists Are Tracking the Unusual Movement. For decades, this pole has been drifting across the Arctic, but recent shifts have caught attention due to their unexpected speed. The magnetic north pole is distinct from the geographic one—it’s where Earth’s magnetic field lines converge, influenced by a molten outer core generating the field.
William Brown notes that this current behavior hasn’t been observed before, and over time, the pole has moved faster toward Russia compared to earlier centuries. However, in recent years, its movement has slowed, raising questions about what’s causing the change. This acceleration and deceleration have significant implications for systems reliant on magnetic fields, like GPS, which use these models to navigate accurately.
Each five years, scientists update the World Magnetic Model (WMM) based on their findings, with the latest revision showing the pole is closer to Siberia than ever before. The slowing down of movement could signal a potential geomagnetic reversal, though such an event isn’t expected for centuries. Understanding these changes will help refine models and improve navigation accuracy in the future.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/earths-magnetic-north-pole-is-shifting-toward-siberia-and-raising-questions-about-unusual-movement-180985892