Magnetic North Pole's unexpected shift alarms scientists

The Earth's magnetic North Pole, unlike the geographic one, frequently changes its position. However, scientists have noted that recently it has been doing so at an astonishing pace.

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

The "Independent" states that from the 1600s to 1990, it moved about 10–15 kilometres per year, and at the start of the 21st century, it accelerated to approximately 55 kilometres per year. Then, just as it seemed that this change in position would gather momentum, the pole slowed down—over the past five years, it has decelerated to about 25 kilometres per year. Such a slowdown has never been recorded before.

Dr William Brown, a global geomagnetic field modeller at the British Geological Survey (BGS), describes the Earth's core as a vast, dynamic sphere of liquid iron in motion, which produces the magnetic field. Although scientists can track and study its changes, forecasting its future behaviour with precision remains challenging.

Knowing the pole's position is essential for navigation, satellite tracking, measurements and mapping, and managing air traffic. "The World Magnetic Model is embedded in nearly all navigation technologies, including smartphones, cars, and aircraft," said Dr Brown in an interview with the "Independent".

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 3,200 kilometres, 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, utilising a network of ground stations and satellites to map the field at various locations.