Magnetic north pole's erratic shift toward Russia slows down

Unlike the geographic North Pole, the Earth's magnetic North Pole frequently changes its position. However, scientists have recently noticed that it has been doing so at a surprising pace.

For centuries, the magnetic North Pole moved along the northern coast of Canada. In the 1990s, it drifted into the Arctic Ocean and then accelerated towards Siberia.

"Independent" reports that from the 1600s to 1990, it moved about 6-9 miles per year. At the beginning of the 21st century, it accelerated to about 34 miles per year. Then, just as it seemed that its position change would pick up speed, the pole slowed down—over the past five years, it has slowed to about 16 miles per year. Such a slowdown has never been recorded before.

Dr. William Brown, a global geomagnetic field expert at the British Geological Survey (BGS), describes the Earth's magnetic field as being produced by a large, chaotic, and turbulent liquid iron core in motion. Although scientists can track and observe its fluctuations, accurately forecasting its future behavior remains a challenge.

Understanding the pole's location is crucial for navigation, satellite monitoring, mapping, and air traffic management. Dr. Brown noted in an interview with "Independent" that nearly all technological devices, including smartphones, cars, and military aircraft, rely on the world's magnetic model.

The pole's movement is caused by unpredictable fluctuations in the movement of liquid iron, which makes up most of the Earth's outer core. This liquid metal moves due to heat released from the planet's core, creating the Earth's magnetic field. Changes in this swirling movement, at a depth of about 2,000 miles, affect the magnetic field and the pole's position.

Although accurately predicting the pole's movements is impossible, the BGS monitors the Earth's magnetic field using a network of ground stations and satellites to map the field in various locations.