Earth ’s magnetic north pole has been drifting so much in recent years that scientific estimates are no longer accurate for navigation , prompting the National Centers for Environmental Information to publishupdatedinformation nearly a year early .
It may sound apocalyptic , but generally speaking , the transformation is no grounds for warning machine . Over the last 780,000 year , fossil records point that the poles have moved andswitched a number of time , with no recognizable damage to dwell organisms . In fact , recent geological phonograph record even indicate that our magnetized field is weakening , a phenomenon that may or may not lead to geomagnetic rod reversal : thenorth and Dixieland polescould flip . But even if this was the font , it does n’t intend sudden volcanic outbursts or swarms of earthquake bunch . Life would continue as it is although interchange to the magnetized domain could have backlash for smartphones , consumer electronics , and pilotage technology .
Union constitution like NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration use something called the World Magnetic Model for navigational determination as well as surveying and function , artificial satellite tracking , and melody traffic management . Because the charismatic north celestial pole be active about 55 kilometers ( 34 miles ) each yr , regulate authority release updates to the model every five years . The most recent update was n’t due until the end of this year , but unplanned variations in the Arctic region have spurred authorities to force for a young update rather than planned .
“ The declination has changed just over 2.5 degrees over the past 22 years since Denver opened , ” Heath Montgomery , former Denver International Airport voice , read in astatementafterthe last update .
charismatic declination – the slant between the magnetic northward and true north – changes over sentence . Since 1831 , the magnetic north rod in northerly Canada has been displace across the Arctic toward Russia .
“ The slowly motivate plates act as a sort of tape recorder exit data about the strength and guidance of retiring magnetized field . By try these careen and using radiometric dating proficiency , it has been possible to reconstruct the chronicle of the Earth ’s magnetic force field for rough the last 160 million years , ” write the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) in ablog post . “If one ‘ plays the tape backwards , ’ the record evince Earth ’s magnetic field tone up , weakening , and often changing mutual opposition . ”
