British scientists have discovered that the Earth’s magnetic north pole is moving towards Russia at a rapid pace. They have been tracking the North Pole for centuries, which has shifted from Canada to Siberia, about 2,250 kilometers away. biologyBut its travels seem to have sped up – between 1990 and 2005, its speed increased from 15 kmph to 50-60 kmph. The magnetic north pole is important for many reasons, such as navigation, protection from radiation, and GPS used to create world magnetic models.
However, the magnetic north pole is different from the geographic north pole, which remains the same because it is where all longitudinal lines meet.
What does the movement of the magnetic north pole mean?
The shifting of this vital point is tracked by scientists from the UK to the US as it allows our smartphones and other devices to navigate.
“Airplanes, boats, submarines, you name it, it’s there,” William Brown, a global geomagnetic field modeler at the British Geological Survey, said in an interview. many times,
If the pace continues at this rapid pace, the Earth’s magnetic north pole will move 660 kilometers in the next decade. According to scientists at the British Geological Survey (BGS), this would result in all compasses “likely pointing east of true north” by 2040.
the south pole is also rotating
The same thing is happening with Earth’s magnetic south pole, which is drifting eastward over Antarctica.
Scientists say the change occurs every 300,000 years. But the last swap, or reversal, of Earth’s poles occurred 780,000 years ago, so experts say it’s been a long time coming.
Why are the poles rotating?
Molten iron in Earth’s outer core flows in unpredictable ways, causing the magnetic poles to shift.
“It’s like a giant cup of tea, it’s a hot liquid with the viscosity of water,” Mr Brown explained. many times,
When the poles change, there comes a time when the magnetic gradient shrinks to zero before increasing again with the opposite polarity.
What would happen if Earth’s magnetic field disappears?
The Earth’s magnetic field plays an important role in sustaining life and protecting technological systems. This invisible shield extends from Earth’s interior to space, forming a protective bubble and shielding the planet from the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted from the Sun. But what if this important magnetic field disappears? The consequences will be profound, affecting everything from the environment to human health and technology.
Without the shield, lethal radiation would reach Earth, increasing the mutation rate of living cells and causing cancer in animals.