Wikipedia

North magnetic pole

(Redirected fromMagnetic North)
"Magnetic North" redirects here. For other uses, seeMagnetic North (disambiguation).
"Project Polaris" redirects here. For other programs and projects, seePolaris (disambiguation).

Thenorth magnetic pole,also known as themagnetic north pole,is a point on the surface of Earth'sNorthern Hemisphereat which theplanet's magnetic fieldpoints vertically downward (in other words, if a magnetic compass needle is allowed to rotate in three dimensions, it will point straight down). There is only one location where this occurs, near (but distinct from) thegeographic north pole.Thegeomagnetic north poleis the northernantipodalpole of an idealdipole model of the Earth's magnetic field,which is the most closely fitting model of Earth's actual magnetic field.

Location of the north magnetic pole and the north geomagnetic pole in 2017.[1]The magnetic-north of the earth as a magnet is actually on the southern hemisphere: The north side of magnets are by definition attracted to the geographic north, and opposite poles attract.

The north magnetic pole moves over time according to magnetic changes and flux lobeelongation[2]in theEarth's outer core.[3]In 2001, it was determined by theGeological Survey of Canadato lie west ofEllesmere Islandinnorthern Canadaat81°18′N110°48′W/ 81.300°N 110.800°W/81.300; -110.800(Magnetic North Pole 2001).[4]It was situated at83°06′N117°48′W/ 83.100°N 117.800°W/83.100; -117.800(Magnetic North Pole 2005 est)in 2005. In 2009, while still situated within the CanadianArcticat84°54′N131°00′W/ 84.900°N 131.000°W/84.900; -131.000(Magnetic North Pole 2009),[5]it was moving toward Russia at between 55 and 60 km (34 and 37 mi) per year.[6]In 2013, the distance between the north magnetic pole and the geographic north pole was approximately 800 kilometres (500 mi).[7]As of 2021, the pole is projected to have moved beyond the Canadian Arctic to86°24′00″N156°47′10″E/ 86.400°N 156.786°E/86.400; 156.786(Magnetic North Pole 2021 est).[8][5]

Its southern hemisphere counterpart is thesouth magnetic pole.Since Earth's magnetic field is not exactly symmetric, the north and south magnetic poles are notantipodal,meaning that a straight line drawn from one to the other does not pass through the geometric center of Earth.

Earth's north and south magnetic poles are also known asmagnetic dippoles,with reference to the vertical "dip" of the magnetic field lines at those points.[9]

Recent locations of Earth's magnetic (dip) poles,IGRF-13 estimate[10]
Year 1990 (definitive) 2000 (definitive) 2010 (definitive) 2020
North magnetic pole 78°05′42″N103°41′20″W/ 78.095°N 103.689°W/78.095; -103.689(NMP 1990) 80°58′19″N109°38′24″W/ 80.972°N 109.640°W/80.972; -109.640(NMP 2000) 85°01′12″N132°50′02″W/ 85.020°N 132.834°W/85.020; -132.834(NMP 2010) 86°29′38″N162°52′01″E/ 86.494°N 162.867°E/86.494; 162.867(NMP 2020)
South magnetic pole 64°54′36″S138°54′07″E/ 64.910°S 138.902°E/-64.910; 138.902(SMP 1990) 64°39′40″S138°18′11″E/ 64.661°S 138.303°E/-64.661; 138.303(SMP 2000) 64°25′55″S137°19′30″E/ 64.432°S 137.325°E/-64.432; 137.325(SMP 2010) 64°04′52″S135°51′58″E/ 64.081°S 135.866°E/-64.081; 135.866(SMP 2020)

Polarity

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Allmagnetshave two poles, where lines ofmagnetic fluxenter one pole and emerge from the other pole. By analogy with Earth's magnetic field, these are called the magnet's "north" and "south" poles. Before magnetism was well understood, the north-seeking pole of a magnet was defined to have the north designation, according to their use in earlycompasses.However, opposite poles attract, which means that as a physical magnet, the magnetic north pole of the Earth is actually on the southern hemisphere.[11][12]In other words, if we establish that true geographic north is north, then what we call the Earth's north magnetic pole is actually its south magnetic pole since it attracts the north magnetic pole of other magnets, such as compass needles.

The direction of magnetic field lines is defined such that the lines emerge from the magnet's north pole and enter into the magnet's south pole.

History

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Part of theCarta marinaof 1539 byOlaus Magnus,depicting the location of magnetic north vaguely conceived as "Insula Magnetū[m]" (Latinfor "Island of Magnets" ), off modern-dayMurmansk.The man holding therune staffsis the Norse heroStarkad( "Starcaterus" ).

Early European navigators, cartographers and scientists believed that compass needles were attracted to a hypothetical "magnetic island" somewhere in the far north (seeRupes Nigra), or toPolaris,thepole star.[13]The idea that Earth itself acts as essentially a giant magnet was first proposed in 1600, by the English physician and natural philosopherWilliam Gilbert.He was also the first to define the north magnetic pole as the point where Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards. This is the current definition, though it would be a few hundred years before the nature of Earth's magnetic field was understood with modern accuracy and precision.[13]

Expeditions and measurements

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See also:Arctic exploration,Farthest North,andList of Arctic expeditions

First observations

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The first group to reach the north magnetic pole was led byJames Clark Ross,who found it at Cape Adelaide on theBoothia Peninsulaon 1 June 1831, while serving on the second arctic expedition of his uncle,Sir John Ross.Roald Amundsenfound the north magnetic pole in a slightly different location in 1903. The third observation was by Canadian government scientists Paul Serson and Jack Clark, of theDominion Astrophysical Observatory,who found the pole at Allen Lake onPrince of Wales Islandin 1947.[14]

Project Polaris

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At the start of theCold War,theUnited States Department of Warrecognized a need for a comprehensive survey of the North AmericanArcticand asked theUnited States Armyto undertake the task. An assignment was made in 1946 for the Army Air Forces' recently formedStrategic Air Commandto explore the entireArctic Oceanarea. The exploration was conducted by the46th (later re-designated the 72nd) Photo Reconnaissance Squadronand reported on as a classifiedTop Secretmission namedProject Nanook.This project in turn was divided into many separate, but identically classified, projects, one of which was Project Polaris, which was a radar, photographic (trimetrogon,or three-angle, cameras) and visual study of the entireCanadian Archipelago.A Canadian officer observer was assigned to accompany each flight.

Frank O. Klein, the director of the project, noticed that thefluxgate compassdid not behave as erratically as expected—it oscillated no more than 1 to 2 degrees over much of the region—and began to study northern terrestrial magnetism.[15][16]With the cooperation of many of his squadron teammates in obtaining many hundreds of statistical readings, startling results were revealed: The center of the north magnetic dip pole was onPrince of Wales Islandsome 400 km (250 mi) NNW of the positions determined by Amundsen and Ross, and the dip pole was not a point but occupied an elliptical region with foci about 400 km (250 mi) apart onBoothia PeninsulaandBathurst Island.Klein called the two foci local poles, for their importance to navigation in emergencies when using a "homing" procedure.[clarification needed]About three months after Klein's findings were officially reported, a Canadian ground expedition was sent into the Archipelago to locate the position of the magnetic pole. R. Glenn Madill, Chief of Terrestrial Magnetism,Department of Mines and Resources,Canada, wrote to Lt. Klein on 21 July 1948:

…we agree on one point and that is the presence of what we can call the main magnetic pole on northwestern Prince of Wales Island. I have accepted as a purely preliminary value the position latitude 73°N and longitude 100°W. Your value of 73°15'N and 99°45’W is in excellent agreement, and I suggest that you use your value by all means.

— R. Glenn Madill[15]

(The positions were less than 30 km (20 mi) apart.)

Modern (post-1996)

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The movement of Earth's north magnetic pole across theCanadian Arcticin recent centuries, continuing in recent years across theArctic OceantowardsSiberia
Speed of the north magnetic pole drift according to the IGRF-12 model

The Canadian government has made several measurements since, which show that the north magnetic pole is moving continually northwestward. In 2001, an expedition located the pole at81°18′N110°48′W/ 81.300°N 110.800°W/81.300; -110.800(Magnetic North Pole 2001).

In 2007, the latest survey found the pole at83°57′00″N120°43′12″W/ 83.95000°N 120.72000°W/83.95000; -120.72000(Magnetic North Pole 2007 location).[17] During the 20th century it moved 1,100 km (680 mi), and since 1970 its rate of motion has accelerated from 9 to 52 km (5.6 to 32.3 mi) per year (2001–2007 average; see alsopolar drift). Members of the 2007 expedition to locate the magnetic north pole wrote that such expeditions have become logistically difficult, as the pole moves farther away from inhabited locations. They expect that in the future, the magnetic pole position will be obtained from satellite data instead of ground surveys.[17]

This general movement is in addition to a daily ordiurnalvariation in which the north magnetic pole describes a rough ellipse, with a maximum deviation of 80 km (50 mi) from its mean position.[18]This effect is due to disturbances of the geomagnetic field bycharged particlesfrom the Sun.

As of early 2019, the magnetic north pole is moving from Canada towards Siberia at a rate of approximately 55 km (34 mi) per year.[19]

The NOAA gives the 2024 location of the magnetic north pole as 86 degrees North, 142 degrees East. By 2025, it will have drifted to 138 degrees East (same latitude).[20]

Exploration

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The first team of novices to reach the magnetic north pole did so in 1996, led byDavid Hempleman-Adams.It included the first British womanSue Stockdaleand first Swedish woman to reach the Pole.[21][22][23]The team also successfully tracked the location of the Magnetic North Pole on behalf of theUniversity of Ottawa,and certified its location bymagnetometerandtheodoliteat78°35′42″N104°11′54″W/ 78.59500°N 104.19833°W/78.59500; -104.19833(Magnetic North Pole 1996).[24][25]

ThePolar Racewas a biannual competition that ran from 2003 until 2011. It took place between the community ofResolute,on the shores ofResolute Bay,Nunavut,innorthern Canadaand the 1996 location of the north magnetic pole at78°35′42″N104°11′54″W/ 78.59500°N 104.19833°W/78.59500; -104.19833(Magnetic North Pole 1996),also in northern Canada.

On 25 July 2007, theTop Gear: Polar Specialwas broadcast onBBC Twoin the United Kingdom, in whichJeremy Clarkson,James May,and their support and camera team claimed to be the first people in history to reach the 1996 location of the north magnetic pole in northern Canada by car.[26][better source needed]Note that they did not reach the actual north magnetic pole, which at the time (2007) had moved several hundred kilometers further north from the 1996 position.[10][failed verification]

Magnetic north and magnetic declination

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Main article:Magnetic declination
Magnetic declination from true north in 2000.

Historically, the magneticcompasswas an important tool fornavigation.While it has been widely replaced byGlobal Positioning Systems,many airplanes and ships still carry them, as do casual boaters and hikers.[27]

The direction in which a compass needle points is known as magnetic north. In general, this is not exactly the direction of the north magnetic pole (or of any other consistent location). Instead, the compass aligns itself to the local geomagnetic field, which varies in a complex manner over Earth's surface, as well as over time. The local angular difference between magnetic north andtrue northis called themagnetic declination.Most map coordinate systems are based on true north, and magnetic declination is often shown on map legends so that the direction of true north can be determined from north as indicated by a compass.[28]

In North America the line of zero declination (theagonic line) runs from the north magnetic pole down throughLake Superiorand southward into theGulf of Mexico(see figure). Along this line, true north is the same as magnetic north. West of the agonic line a compass will give a reading that is east of true north and by convention the magnetic declination is positive. Conversely, east of the agonic line a compass will point west of true north and the declination is negative.[29]

North geomagnetic pole

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Main article:Geomagnetic pole

As afirst-order approximation,Earth's magnetic field can be modeled as a simpledipole(like a bar magnet), tilted about 10° with respect toEarth's rotationaxis (which defines the geographic north and geographic south poles) and centered at Earth's center. The north and south geomagnetic poles are theantipodal pointswhere the axis of this theoretical dipole intersects Earth's surface. If Earth's magnetic field were a perfect dipole then thefield lineswould be vertical at the geomagnetic poles, and they would coincide with the magnetic poles. However, the approximation is imperfect, and so the magnetic and geomagnetic poles lie some distance apart.[30]

Like the north magnetic pole, the north geomagnetic pole attracts the north pole of a barmagnetand so is in a physical sense actually a magneticsouthpole. It is the center of the region of themagnetospherein which theAurora Borealiscan be seen. As of 2015 it was located at approximately80°22′12″N72°37′12″W/ 80.37000°N 72.62000°W/80.37000; -72.62000(Geomagnetic North Pole 2005 est),overEllesmere Island,Canada[30]but it is now drifting away from North America and toward Siberia.

Geomagnetic reversal

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Main article:Geomagnetic reversal

Over the life of Earth, the orientation of Earth's magnetic field has reversed many times, with magnetic north becoming magnetic south and vice versa – an event known as ageomagnetic reversal.Evidence of geomagnetic reversals can be seen atmid-ocean ridgeswheretectonic platesmove apart and the seabed is filled in withmagma.As the magma seeps out of themantle,cools, and solidifies into igneous rock, it isimprintedwith a record of the direction of the magnetic field at the time that the magma cooled.[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Magnetic North, Geomagnetic and Magnetic Poles".wdc.kugi.kyoto-u.ac.jp.Retrieved18 December2019.
  2. ^Livermore, Philip W.; Finlay, Christopher C.; Bayliff, Matthew (2020)."Recent north magnetic pole acceleration towards Siberia caused by flux lobe elongation".Nature Geoscience.13(5): 387–391.arXiv:2010.11033.Bibcode:2020NatGe..13..387L.doi:10.1038/s41561-020-0570-9.S2CID218513160.Archived fromthe originalon 14 June 2020.Alt URL
  3. ^Merrill, Ronald T.; McElhinny, Michael W.; McFadden, Phillip L. (1996). "Chapter 8".The magnetic field of the earth: paleomagnetism, the core, and the deep mantle.Academic Press.ISBN978-0-12-491246-5.
  4. ^Wei-Haas, Maya (4 February 2019)."Magnetic north just changed. Here's what that means".Science & Innovation.National Geographic.Archived fromthe originalon 4 February 2019.Retrieved5 February2019.
  5. ^abWorld Data Center for Geomagnetism, Kyoto."Magnetic North, Geomagnetic and Magnetic Poles".Retrieved3 July2012.
  6. ^North Magnetic Pole Moving East Due to Core Flux,National Geographic, 24 December 2009
  7. ^Petrovich Dubrov, Aleksandr (11 November 2013).The Geomagnetic Field and Life.Springer US. p. 12.ISBN9781475716108.
  8. ^NP.xy
  9. ^"The Magnetic North Pole".Ocean bottom magnetology laboratory.Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2013.Retrieved6 February2017.
  10. ^abNair, Manoj C."Wandering of the Geomagnetic Poles | NCEI".ngdc.noaa.gov.Retrieved19 December2019.
  11. ^Serway, Raymond A.; Chris Vuille (2006).Essentials of college physics.US: Cengage Learning. p. 493.ISBN0-495-10619-4.Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2019.Retrieved19 April2012.
  12. ^Russell, Randy."Earth's Magnetic Poles".Windows to the Universe.National Earth Science Teachers Association.Retrieved19 April2012.
  13. ^abEarly Concept of the North Magnetic Pole,Natural Resources Canada, retrieved June 2007
  14. ^History of Expeditions to the North Magnetic Pole,Natural Resources Canada
  15. ^abWhite, Ken (1994).World in Peril: The Origin, Mission & Scientific Findings of the 46th / 72nd Reconnaissance Squadron(2nd revised ed.). K. W. White & Associates.ISBN978-1883218102.
  16. ^Wack, Fred John (1992).The Secret Explorers: Saga of the 46th/72nd Reconnaissance Squadrons.Seeger's Print.
  17. ^abL. R. Newitt, A. Chulliat, and J.-J. Orgeval,Location of the north magnetic pole in April 2007,Earth Planets Space, 61, 703–710, 2009
  18. ^Geomagnetism – Daily Movement of the North Magnetic Pole,Natural Resources Canada
  19. ^"Polar express: magnetic north pole moving 'pretty fast' towards Russia".Associated Press. 5 February 2019 – via theguardian.
  20. ^"Wandering of the Geomagnetic Poles".NOAA. 10 March 2022.
  21. ^Smith, Anna."Scot of the Arctic; Sue conquers the North Pole".Daily Record. Archived fromthe originalon 11 June 2014.Retrieved29 January2014.
  22. ^"North Pole party for 'Grand Slam' Briton".BBC News.30 April 1998.Retrieved12 June2008.
  23. ^Smith, Anna."I have to do this not just for me… but for Scotland; Pole star: Sue's going where no Scotswoman has gone before".Daily Record.Retrieved29 January2014.
  24. ^1996 Certified Position of the Magnetic North Pole,Jock Wishart,Polar Raceorganiser
  25. ^Wishart, Jock (13 July 2006)."Magnetic North Pole Location, 1996 in Ellef Ringnes Island, Canada".Virtualglobetrotting.Retrieved21 July2019.
  26. ^"Polar Challenge".Top Gear.25 July 2007. 0:22 minutes in. BBC Two.Retrieved19 April2012.
  27. ^"Compass".National Geographic Society.3 December 2013.Retrieved25 August2018.
  28. ^"Magnetic declination".Natural Resources Canada.Government of Canada.Retrieved25 August2018.
  29. ^USGS Education."How To Use a Compass with a USGS Topographic Map".United States Geological Survey.Retrieved25 August2018.
  30. ^ab"Geomagnetism Frequently Asked Questions".National Geophysical Data Center.Retrieved28 April2018.
  31. ^"Earth's Inconstant Magnetic Field – Science Mission Directorate".science.nasa.gov.29 December 2003.
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