Earth's magnetic field,
or geomagnetic field,
is the magnetic field
that extends from the
Earth's inner core
out into space,
where it deflects
harmful radiation
from the Sun.
Earth’s north magnetic pole
has been rapidly shifting away
from Canada and towards
the Siberian Federal District,
driven mostly by liquid iron
churning deep within
the planet’s core.
The World Magnetic
Model (WMM),
a large spatial-scale
representation of the
Earth's magnetic field,
will be updated soon
although delayed due to
the US Government
shutdown
The current model
was expected
to be valid until 2020.
But then we had
extraordinarily
large and erratic
movements of the
north magnetic pole.
Movement of the
north magnetic pole
has been studied
since 1831.
Initially, it was
tracked moving
into the Arctic Ocean
at a rate of
about 9.3 miles
each year.
But, since
the mid-1990s,
it has accelerated.
It is now moving
at a rate of about
34.17 miles per year.
Geophysicists are not
exactly sure why.
Navigation systems
that heavily rely on
the Earth's geomagnetic field
could experience disruption.
An emergency update to maps
used by electronic navigation
systems is needed.
Geophysicists do note
that Earth can undergo
a “geomagnetic reversal,"
where the
magnetic poles
switch sides.
The last time
this happened
was 781,000
years ago.
The magnetic pole
is always moving,
and rapid movement
is not brand new.
If this was bad news,
that could be blamed
on humans, you'd
hear more about it !
