Is Earth's magnetic North Pole moving closer to Russia?

Earth’s magnetic North Pole is moving at an unprecedented rate.

It is steadily moving towards Russia in a way that has not been seen before.

Since the 1830s, it has travelled roughly 2,250 kilometres (1,400 miles) across the Northern Hemisphere, from Canada to Siberia. However, scientists have now observed a noteworthy acceleration in its movement.

From 1990 to 2005, the pole’s speed increased from under 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) per year to between 50 and 60 kilometres (31 to 37 miles) annually, according to a 2020 study.

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If this pace continues, the magnetic North Pole could shift another 660 kilometres (410 miles) toward Siberia within the next decade. Scientists are closely monitoring this unexpected activity in the high Arctic to understand its impact.

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How has it moved?

From 1600 to 1990, Earth’s magnetic North Pole moved at an estimated six miles per year. By the 2000s, its pace increased to about 34 miles annually, but over the past five years, it has slowed to approximately 22 miles per year - a deceleration not previously observed, according to The Times.

These measurements are provided by the British Geological Survey (BGS) in collaboration with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which together produce the World Magnetic Model (WMM). Updated every five years, the latest version has just been released.

The magnetic North Pole is crucial for navigation, radiation shielding, and GPS systems that rely on the WMM.

It is different from the geographic North Pole, which remains fixed and marks the convergence of all longitudinal lines.

Speaking to Daily Mail, Dr Ciaran Beggan of the British Geological Survey said, “In the past 20 years, it accelerated north towards Siberia, increasing speed every year until about five years ago, when it suddenly decelerated from 50 to 40 km per year.”

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“In contrast, the south pole is moving very slowly. We don’t really know why there are such differences between the two hemispheres. This is behavior we’ve not observed ever before. It makes forecasting magnetic field change more difficult.”

What does the movement of the magnetic North Pole mean?

Shifts in Earth’s magnetic field might seem unimportant in daily life but they can have widespread impacts. They are crucial for updating navigation systems and ensuring the safety of military and civilian aircraft, ships, and submarines.

Magnetic compasses, necessary for modern navigation, rely on the field’s stability, as do smartphones and their navigation applications. Even GPS systems require adjustments to account for the movement of the magnetic poles, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The shifting of Earth’s magnetic North Pole is closely monitored by scientists in the UK and the US.

In an interview with The Times, William Brown, a global geomagnetic field modeller at the British Geological Survey, said, “Planes, boats, submarines, you name it, it’s in there.”

If the rapid movement continues, the magnetic North Pole is projected to shift 660 kilometres over the next decade. By 2040, this could cause compasses to “probably point eastward of true north,” according to the British Geological Survey.

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What about the South Pole?

Earth’s South Pole is also shifting. It is moving eastward along Antarctica’s coast. While these movements might seem extreme, larger shifts are still possible.

Historically, Earth’s magnetic poles have completely swapped positions roughly every 300,000 years. During such reversals, the North Pole becomes the South Pole and vice versa.

The last magnetic pole reversal occurred 780,000 years ago, leading some scientists to speculate that Earth may be overdue for another switch, according to IFLScience.

Why are the poles moving?

The movement of Earth’s magnetic pole is driven by unpredictable changes in the swirling molten iron in the planet’s outer core. This liquid metal, located about 2,000 miles beneath the surface, generates Earth’s magnetic field as it churns, moved by heat escaping from the planet’s core.

Variations in this movement influence both the magnetic field and the pole’s position.

“It’s like a giant cup of tea,” Brown told The Times. “It’s a hot liquid with the viscosity of water.”

What happens if the magnetic field disappears?

Earth’s magnetic field, a critical invisible shield, extends from the planet’s interior into space, forming a protective barrier against solar wind-charged particles emitted by the Sun.

Without this field, the consequences would be severe. Radiation from space would reach Earth’s surface unchecked, which can increase mutation rates in living cells and cause higher cancer risks in animals.

This loss would also threaten technological systems and disrupt the environment.