Poles are shifting rapidly- what happens to earth’s magnetic field?!

Will the compass needle be pointing south soon? Data shows: The magnetic pole is moving rapidly — a threatening reversal of the earth’s magnetic field seems possible!

For centuries, the earth’s magnetic field was stable. But since 1840 it has weakened constantly. By now, the strength has reduced to only approx. 80% compared to its origins. Far reaching into space, the magnetic field does not just define our poles, but also protects earth from radiation — But for how much longer?

An animation by the US weather agency NOAA shows what’s going on: The magnetic pole, which is located near the geographic North Pole, moves from Canada to Russia at an astonishing and ever growing speed of currently one kilometer a week!

Are we getting close to the tipping point? It wouldn’t be the first!

Pole migration is a symptom of the changing Earth’s magnetic field. Compass needles still point to North, and the magnetic field still protects the earth. But the rapidly increasing shift lets researchers worry: Where is the tipping point for a dangerous pole reversal?

Magnetic field fluctuations can be traced back over millions of years. Solidified lava rock, for example, records the prevailing magnetization of the minerals as lava solidifies into rock. Investigations of such show that the Earth’s field had reversed its magnetic field regularly within a time line of a few hundred thousand years for each reversal.

The last reversal was 780,000 years ago — That means that statistically we are overdue already!

Research believe to know the starting point already. A particular point of vulnerability is identified already: In the South Atlantic, between South Africa and South America, the crew of the International Space Station receives 90 percent of their total radiation dose, although their time of exposure there only amounts to about ten minutes per day!

The weakest region is found close to South Africa, where captains of ships can witness disturbing effects on their compasses already: Compass needles jiggle up and down. Normally, the compass needle is perpendicular to the poles, horizontally at the equator and in the middle between the corresponding center position. But if the magnetic field is disturbed, the so-called “inclination” changes from place to place in an almost chaotic manner.