The Magnetic North Pole Has Shifted to a New Location

It’s time to update navigation systems for ships, airplanes, and perhaps even Santa’s sleigh: North Pole has officially shifted its position, continuing its movement away from Canada toward Siberia.

Experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) collaborated, as they do every five years, to create an updated and more accurate World Magnetic Model (WMM).

Unlike the fixed geographical North Pole at the Earth’s rotational axis, the magnetic North Pole moves as the planet’s magnetic field changes. This field, influenced by shifting iron and nickel within Earth’s core, causes both the North and South magnetic poles to drift. Accurate positioning is critical for compasses and GPS systems.

“The current behavior of magnetic north is unprecedented,” explains William Brown, a geomagnetic field modeler at BGS. “Since the 1500s, magnetic north moved slowly around Canada, but in the past 20 years, it accelerated toward Siberia. About five years ago, it suddenly slowed from 50 to 35 kilometers [31 to 22 miles] per year, marking the most significant deceleration we’ve observed.”

Massive Magnetic Lobes Beneath Canada and Siberia Drive Pole Movement, Triggering Occasional Emergency Updates

Research suggests that two massive magnetic lobes beneath Canada and Siberia drive the pole’s movement. Occasionally, these shifts are dramatic enough to warrant emergency updates outside the standard five-year cycle.

The latest WMM provides an updated magnetic map expected to remain accurate for the next five years. For the first time, a higher-resolution version is also available, offering over ten times more detail. The resolution has improved from 3,300 km to about 300 km at the equator.

Using outdated data could lead to substantial navigational errors. For example, traveling 8,500 km (5,282 miles) from South Africa to the UK with the old WMM would result in being 150 km (93 miles) off course. With the new model, such discrepancies are corrected. Logistics companies, governments, and official agencies will now adjust their systems accordingly.

For everyday users, no manual updates are needed—phones and satellite navigation systems will automatically integrate the changes.

The magnetic North Pole was first pinpointed in northern Canada by Sir James Clark Ross in 1831. Over the years, scientists have tracked its movement with increasing precision, relying on ground-based measurements and satellite data to monitor its dynamic behavior.

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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