Magnetic North Pole Heading East in a Hurry
While Santa was off making the rounds leaving the workshop in the hands of the elves and Mrs. Claus, it seems like the North Pole decided to get a bit antsy in the big guy's absence.According to National Geographic, the location of the Earth's magnetic north pole is moving eastward from its current location in northern Canada at a rate of approximately 40 miles per year.
The geographic North Pole (90 degrees north latitude) is defined by the Earth's rotation. Magnetic north, however, is created by the movement of our planet's molten iron core. The movement of all that metal essentially turns the entire planet into one big magnet. The north and south poles of the magnet do not precisely align with the geographic poles, plus we know that they do not stand still, and we know further that the poles reverse positions every 300,000 years, give or take. The last magnetic pole reversal took place nearly 800,000 years ago.
There's much about the planet's magnetism that eludes modern science. Its precise location cannot be pinpointed because it is generated at great depths. Since its discovery in the early 1800s, its location has shown mostly static to slow movement until only recently when its rate of drift has been seen to pick up considerably.
While increasingly common GPS technology has made compasses seem quaint, the planet's magnetic field (and dramatic changes therein) are highly noteworthy. The planet's magnetic field keeps tremendous amounts of cosmic and solar radiation at bay. And if you're lucky enough to live in the right locations, you get treated to the awesome spectacle that is the Northern Lights, caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and incoming solar radiation.
Image courtesy of NASA, via Wikimedia Commons
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