WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story Feb. 4 about the magnetic north pole, The Associated Press erroneously described the pole's change in speed. Its speed jumped from about 9 miles per year (about 15 kilometers per year), not per hour. And it went to 34 miles per year (55 kilometers per year), not per hour.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Check your compass: The magnetic north pole is on the move

Scientists have to fix what's north because the magnetic north pole keeps on moving

WASHINGTON (AP) — North isn't quite where it used to be.

Earth's north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists say that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation. On Monday, they released an update of where magnetic north really was, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

The magnetic north pole is wandering about 34 miles (55 kilometers) a year. It crossed the international date line in 2017, and is leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia.

The constant shift is a problem for compasses in smartphones and some consumer electronics. Airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation, said University of Colorado geophysicist Arnaud Chulliat, lead author of the newly issued World Magnetic Model. GPS isn't affected because it's satellite-based.

The military depends on where magnetic north is for navigation and parachute drops, while NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Forest Service also use it. Airport runway names are based on their direction toward magnetic north and their names change when the poles moved. For example, the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska, renamed a runway 1L-19R to 2L-20R in 2009.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United Kingdom tend to update the location of the magnetic north pole every five years in December, but this update came early because of the pole's faster movement.

The movement of the magnetic north pole "is pretty fast," Chulliat said.

Since 1831 when it was first measured in the Canadian Arctic it has moved about 1,400 miles (2300 kilometers) toward Siberia. Its speed jumped from about 9 miles per year (15 kilometers per year) to 34 miles per year (55 kilometers per year) since 2000.

The reason is turbulence in Earth's liquid outer core. There is a hot liquid ocean of iron and nickel in the planet's core where the motion generates an electric field, said University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop, who wasn't part of the team monitoring the magnetic north pole.

"It has changes akin to weather," Lathrop said. "We might just call it magnetic weather."

The magnetic south pole is moving far slower than the north.

In general Earth's magnetic field is getting weaker, leading scientists to say that it will eventually flip, where north and south pole changes polarity, like a bar magnet flipping over. It has happened numerous times in Earth's past, but not in the last 780,000 years.

"It's not a question of if it's going to reverse, the question is when it's going to reverse," Lathrop said.

When it reverses, it won't be like a coin flip, but take 1,000 or more years, experts said.

Lathrop sees a flip coming sooner rather than later because of the weakened magnetic field and an area over the South Atlantic has already reversed beneath Earth's surface.

That could bother some birds that use magnetic fields to navigate. And an overall weakening of the magnetic field isn't good for people and especially satellites and astronauts. The magnetic field shields Earth from some dangerous radiation, Lathrop said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

This story has been corrected to delete a reference to magnetic north being the same as true north. </s> With the Earth's magnetic north pole drifting around 34 miles each year, scientists have just updated the pole's location one year ahead of schedule.

Knowing the precise location of the Earth’s magnetic north pole is something which is absolutely necessary for those who rely on compasses — or who operate airplanes and boats — and with its excessively fast shift, scientists have just updated the location of the magnetic north pole well ahead of schedule.

According to Phys.org, because the super fast drift of the magnetic north pole is something which has been occurring for decades now, absolutely precise navigation today is an impossibility. With this in mind, on Monday scientists decided to give an updated location for the magnetic north pole — one whole year ahead of when they had originally planned to.

If you’re wondering just how far the magnetic north pole is currently drifting, the answer is a lot. With each passing year, this pole has been found to shift around 34 miles. In fact, in 2017, it even managed to cross the international date line. The north pole is migrating, well on its way to Siberia right now.

While the swift shift of the Earth’s magnetic north pole isn’t interfering with GPS in any way — as this system is based upon satellites — it is a super big deal for the military, who need to nail the position down for navigational purposes — and also to plan reliable parachute drops.

NASA, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Federal Aviation Administration also rely on it too — so knowing its precise location is a pretty big deal for many people.

When the magnetic north pole was first officially measured back in 1831, it was located in the Canadian Arctic. However, it has drifted substantially over the past year, inching over a total of 1,400 miles towards Siberia.

Perhaps alarmingly, this speed has increased dramatically over recent years. For instance, with the pole moving at a rate of around nine miles per year from 1831 up until the year 2000, after 2000 the magnetic north pole was discovered to be drifting at a rate of 34 miles per year.

The reason for this sudden shift is due to turbulence which is currently taking place deep within the liquid outer core of the Earth. As University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop explained, “It has changes akin to weather. We might just call it magnetic weather.”

Because our planet’s magnetic field is also growing steadily weaker, at some point the poles will flip. While this hasn’t occurred in at least 780,000 years, scientists like Lathrop have noted that this event will be occurring on Earth again — although there is no way of knowing precisely when it will happen.

Now that scientists have gifted us with the precise and updated location for the Earth’s magnetic north pole, things should be relatively stable — unless it hurtles towards Siberia even faster. </s> Earth's north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists say that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation.

 

 Earth's geographic north pole is fixed. But the planet's magnetic north pole -- the north that every compass points toward -- is moving at a speed of about 55 kilometers per year.

It crossed the international date line in 2017 and is leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia.

 

 The rapid movement forced scientists to release an update of the World Magnetic Model (WMM), or the actual position of the magnetic on February 4 -- almost a year earlier than expected -- in order to allow navigational services, including map-based phone apps, to keep working accurately.

 

 GPS isn't affected because it's satellite-based, but airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation, said University of Colorado geophysicist Arnaud Chulliat, lead author of the newly issued WMM.

 

 In the 189 years since it was first measured in the Canadian Arctic, it has moved some 2,300 kilometers toward Siberia, and its speed jumped from about 15 kilometers per year to 55 kilometers per year since 2000.

 

 The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tends to update the location of the magnetic north pole every five years in December, but this update came early because of the pole's faster movement.

 

 The reason is turbulence in Earth's liquid outer core of iron and nickel, says University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop.

"It has changes akin to weather," Lathrop said. "We might just call it magnetic weather." </s> Earth’s magnetic north pole is moving so quickly and unpredictably that our existing navigation models will have to be updated years earlier than scheduled.

What’s happening: The magnetic north pole is wandering away from the Canadian Arctic toward Siberia, and much faster than expected. It’s sped up from about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) to around 55 kilometers (34 miles) per year, according to Nature. The magnetic north pole is influenced by the movement of liquid iron below Earth’s surface. The World Magnetic Model, which provides a five-year forecast of the planet’s magnetic field, was last set in 2015 and due to be updated in 2020, but these rapid movements mean it’ll have to be updated this year.

Why does it matter? We rely on the model for the magnetometers built into our smartphones, which sit below the mapping apps that help us to get around. Organizations like NATO and the US Department of Defense also use it for navigation systems.

Yet another shutdown victim: The scheduled fix to the model was due to take place today, but it’s been pushed back to January 30 by the US government shutdown. </s> We have Earth’s churning metallic interior to thank for the magnetic field that keeps us safe from the harsh radiation of space, but it’s churning a little faster than expected lately. That means the magnetic pole is wobbling around, causing various navigation issues across the globe. Luckily, there’s a model that corrects for this wobble. Unluckily, a crucial update to the magnetic pole model is delayed because of the US government shutdown. As a result, navigation on Earth is getting increasingly inaccurate.

You may think of the north pole as a geographic location, and that’s true — there is a geographic north pole that doesn’t move. However, there’s also a magnetic north pole that usually drifts about 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) per year. However, the rate of magnetic slippage has increased dramatically in the last few years. Beginning in 2014, the pole has moved an average of 34 miles (55 kilometers) each year.

If all you want to know is the heading of true magnetic north, the shifting pole doesn’t matter much — your compass still points the way. However, if you want to use that heading on top of a map, changes in the pole can screw up navigation. The World Magnetic Model (WMM) provides a correction for the pole shift, but that model is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). With the government shutdown in effect for almost a month, no one is there to update the model.

The last WMM update came in 2015, but as of last year, the model was already tremendously outdated. Because of the increasing pole shift, a major update to the WMM was due on January 15th. The new WMM would have taken into account the last three years of scientific data, including a powerful geomagnetic pulse under South America in 2016. The update didn’t happen, and it won’t until the US government re-opens.

Thankfully, navigation is no longer completely reliant on compass headings, but it’s still an important factor for organizations like NATO, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the US Department of Defense. Your smartphone also uses a compass to determine your orientation. The error in matching magnetic north to a map is more severe the closer you are to the pole. Near the equator, the error is tiny. In the North Sea, it might make a difference.

The pole is currently drifting toward Siberia by a few kilometers per month. The longer we go without a WMM, the more out of sync navigation will get.
• US Senator Asks Government Agencies to Stop Using Flash
• NASA Determines Why Earth Wobbles on its Axis </s> Despite the north pole being a fixed location in the Arctic circle, the Magnetic North Pole is a wandering location which changes year on year. The Magnetic North Pole describes the point where the Earth’s natural magnetic field points inwards and down to the ground. For years, the magnetic pole’s location was determined to lie not too far off from the Geographic North Pole. Scientists have, however, noticed in recent years an increased rate at which the pole appears to shift from location to location.

In 2009, for instance, the pole was found well within the boundaries of the Canadian Arctic region. By 2017, however, measurements have tracked the magnetic pole outside of Canada’s reach. Today, the magnetic pole is well on its way towards the frozen plains of Russia’s Siberia. On Monday, February 4, the World Magnetic Model has found the pole is moving by an approximate 34 miles (55km) a year. READ MORE: Magnetic North Pole is moving FASTER THAN EVER towards Russia

The magnetic shift might not be an issue for satellite-based GPS but US military ships in the region rely on the pole for navigation. The US Federal Aviation Administration and space agency NASA similarly use the magnetic pole as a point of reference.

Arnaud Chulliat, a geophysicist at the University of Colorado, has now warned the movement is occurring “pretty fast”. Since the pole was first measured in 1831, it has moved an estimated 1,400 miles (2,300km) towards Siberia. And the speed at which it is moving has nearly quadrupled since 2,000. READ MORE: Compasses become redundant as Magnetic North MOVES 55km per year

Why is the magnetic pole moving? The pole’s movement towards Russia can be attributed to the Earth’s molten outer core. Deep beneath the surface of the planet is a vast ocean of molten iron and nickel, churning and generating the planet’s magnetic field. Beneath the molten core is the Earth’s solid centre – a ball of tough iron believed to be about two-thirds the size of the Moon. The difference in pressure, composition and temperature between the cores creates a convection current, which causes the molten core to move.

This violent flow generates electric currents which extend out from the planet and into space, where they mingle with solar winds and charged solar particles. This is the Earth’s magnetic field, but perhaps not for much longer, because scientists fear the magnetic field will flip. Daniel Lathrop, a geophysicist at the University of Maryland, said: “It’s not a question of it it’s going to reverse, the question is when it’s going to reverse.” The Earth last witnessed such a reversal about 780,000 years ago. </s> WASHINGTON — North isn’t quite where it used to be.

Earth’s north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists say that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation.

On Monday, they released an update of where magnetic north really was, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

The magnetic north pole is wandering about 34 miles a year.

It crossed the international date line in 2017, and is leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia.

The constant shift is a problem for compasses in smartphones and some consumer electronics. Airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation, said University of Colorado geophysicist Arnaud Chulliat, lead author of the newly issued World Magnetic Model. GPS isn’t affected because it’s satellite-based.

The movement of the magnetic north pole “is pretty fast,” Chulliat said.

Since 1831, when it was first measured in the Canadian Arctic, it has moved about 1,400 miles toward Siberia. Its speed jumped from about 9 mph to 34 mph since 2000.

The reason is turbulence in Earth’s liquid outer core. There is a hot liquid ocean of iron and nickel in the planet’s core where the motion generates an electric field, said University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop, who wasn’t part of the team monitoring the magnetic north pole.

“It has changes akin to weather,” Lathrop said. “We might just call it magnetic weather.” </s> (WASHINGTON) — True north isn’t quite where it used to be.

Earth’s north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise navigation. On Monday, they released an update of where true north really was, nearly a year ahead of schedule.

The magnetic north pole is wandering about 34 miles (55 kilometers) a year. It crossed the international date line in 2017, and is leaving the Canadian Arctic on its way to Siberia.

The constant shift is a problem for compasses in smartphones and some consumer electronics. Airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation, said University of Colorado geophysicist Arnaud Chulliat, lead author of the newly issued World Magnetic Model. GPS isn’t affected because it’s satellite-based.

The military depends on where magnetic north is for navigation and parachute drops, while NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Forest Service also use it. Airport runway names are based on their direction toward magnetic north and their names change when the poles moved. For example, the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska, renamed a runway 1L-19R to 2L-20R in 2009.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and United Kingdom tend to update the location of the magnetic north pole every five years in December, but this update came early because of the pole’s faster movement.

The movement of the magnetic north pole “is pretty fast,” Chulliat said.

Since 1831 when it was first measured in the Canadian Arctic it has moved about 1,400 miles (2300 kilometers) toward Siberia. Its speed jumped from about 9 mph (15 kph) to 34 mph (55 kph) since 2000.

The reason is turbulence in Earth’s liquid outer core. There is a hot liquid ocean of iron and nickel in the planet’s core where the motion generates an electric field, said University of Maryland geophysicist Daniel Lathrop, who wasn’t part of the team monitoring the magnetic north pole.

“It has changes akin to weather,” Lathrop said. “We might just call it magnetic weather.”

The magnetic south pole is moving far slower than the north.

In general Earth’s magnetic field is getting weaker, leading scientists to say that it will eventually flip, where north and south pole changes polarity, like a bar magnet flipping over. It has happened numerous times in Earth’s past, but not in the last 780,000 years.

“It’s not a question of if it’s going to reverse, the question is when it’s going to reverse,” Lathrop said.

When it reverses, it won’t be like a coin flip, but take 1,000 or more years, experts said.

Lathrop sees a flip coming sooner rather than later because of the weakened magnetic field and an area over the South Atlantic has already reversed beneath Earth’s surface.

That could bother some birds that use magnetic fields to navigate. And an overall weakening of the magnetic field isn’t good for people and especially satellites and astronauts. The magnetic field shields Earth from some dangerous radiation, Lathrop said. </s> Distinct from the geographic North Pole, where all the lines of longitude meet at the top of the world, the magnetic pole is the point that a compass recognizes as north. At the moment, it’s located four degrees south of the geographic North Pole, which lies in the Arctic Ocean at 90 degrees north.

But that wasn’t always the case.

In the mid-19th century, the north magnetic pole floated much further south, roaming around Canada. For the past 150 years, however, the pole has been sprinting away from Canada and toward Siberia.

That change of address cannot be ignored, given that magnetic compasses still underpin modern navigation, from the systems used by civilian and military airplanes to those that orient your iPhone.

In 1965, scientists launched a data-based, mathematical representation of Earth’s magnetic field in order to better keep track of the pole’s ever-changing home. The World Magnetic Model is updated every five years — most recently in 2015 — because the magnetic field is constantly shifting.
The location of the magnetic north pole is updated one year early due to its increasingly rapid movement toward Siberia from the Canadian Arctic at a rate of 55 kilometers (34 miles) per year.