Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Moves Towards Russia, Scientists Update Its Location

In a major update to navigation systems, scientists have announced that the Earth’s magnetic north pole is moving towards Russia.

The magnetic north, which is distinct from the geographic North Pole, has been moving steadily in recent years, and this latest model update reveals that the pole is now closer to Siberia than it was five years ago.

The unpredictable movements of the magnetic north pole affect GPS navigation

In contrast to the fixed geographic north pole, the magnetic north pole is determined by the Earth’s magnetic field, which is in constant motion.

This magnetic field, generated by the Earth’s core, can change unpredictably. At times, magnetic north has sped up, while at other times it has slowed down, but scientists still don’t have a clear explanation for these unusual changes.

For years, global positioning systems (GPS), which are critical to the navigation of aircraft, ships and smartphones, have relied on the World Magnetic Model (WMM), Economic Times reported.

This model tracks the position of magnetic north and helps predict future movements based on past trends.

Since its creation in 1990, the WMM has been updated every five years to ensure accurate GPS measurements.

Magnetic North Pole Drifting Towards Russia: What the Latest Update Shows

The latest update, released on December 17, reveals the pole’s new position and confirms the accuracy of previous predictions.

“The longer you wait to update the model, the bigger the error,” said Dr. Arnaud Chulliat, senior researcher at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

According to CNNwith this update, the model’s predictions of where the magnetic north pole would end up in 2025 were verified, showing the importance of these regular updates.

While Poland’s drift toward Russia has been steady, researchers expect this movement to slow in the coming years.

However, there is uncertainty as to how long this slowdown will last, and the magnetic field may change its behavior again. In the past, the Earth’s magnetic field has even reversed, reversing the north and south magnetic poles.

This reversal, which could take thousands of years to complete, could have major effects on animals that rely on the magnetic field for migration, as well as on satellite communication and navigation systems.