It’s time for ships and airplanes to update their navigation systems! The magnetic North Pole is shifting again, moving from Canada toward Siberia.
Every five years, experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Geological Survey (BGS) work together to create a new World Magnetic Model (WMM). This model helps us track the movement of the magnetic North Pole, which is different from the geographical North Pole that stays put at the top of the Earth’s axis.
Earth’s magnetic field is always changing due to what’s happening deep inside the planet. The iron and nickel shift, causing both the North and South Poles to move. This change is important for anyone using a compass or GPS.
William Brown, a global geomagnetic field modeller from BGS, says, “We are seeing something unique with how magnetic north behaves.” For centuries, it moved slowly around Canada. However, in the last 20 years, it sped up toward Siberia. Recently, it slowed down from 50 km (31 miles) per year to 35 km (22 miles) annually, marking the biggest change we’ve seen.
Scientists believe that two massive magnetic areas below Canada and Siberia are causing this movement. Sometimes, the shifts are so drastic that an emergency update is needed before the usual five-year interval.
The new magnetic map is more precise and should be reliable for the next five years. This year, there’s even a higher resolution map available, giving over ten times the detail of previous models. It offers a spatial resolution of about 300 km at the equator, as opposed to the earlier version’s 3,300 km.
The difference in navigation accuracy is significant. For example, if you were to fly directly from South Africa to the UK, the older model could lead you 150 km (93 miles) off course! That’s why mapping and logistics companies, along with governments, will be updating their systems.
Major airlines will update their software across their fleets to align with the new model. Even military equipment will require changes to ensure precise navigation.
The good news is that you won’t need to worry about manually updating your personal devices; these updates will happen automatically.
The magnetic North Pole was first identified by Sir James Clark Ross in Canada in 1831. Since then, researchers have improved tracking through ground measurements and satellite readings.
