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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Thu May 21, 2020, 05:34 PM May 2020

Earth's magnetic field is WEAKENING between Africa and South America, causing satellites and spacecr

Earth's magnetic field is WEAKENING between Africa and South America, causing satellites and spacecraft to malfunction

By STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 17:06 EDT, 21 May 2020 | UPDATED: 17:06 EDT, 21 May 2020

Scientists have made a shocking discovery – the Earth's magnetic field is weakening.

The magnetic field is vital for life on our planet, as it shields us from cosmic radiation and charged particles emitted from the sun.

A large region of reduced magnetic intensity has been observed between Africa and South America, called the South Atlantic Anomaly, and it has formed a center of minimum intensity in just five years.

Researchers are speculating that the weakening is a sign that Earth is heading to a pole reversal, which is when the north and south poles switch places - and the last time this occurred was 780,000 years ago.

More:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8345553/Earths-magnetic-field-WEAKENING-Africa-South-America-malfunctioning-satellites.html

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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
1. Swarm probes weakening of Earth's magnetic field
Thu May 21, 2020, 05:36 PM
May 2020

(20 May 2020 - ESA) In an area stretching from Africa to South America, Earth’s magnetic field is gradually weakening.

This strange behaviour has geophysicists puzzled and is causing technical disturbances in satellites orbiting Earth. Scientists are using data from ESA’s Swarm constellation to improve our understanding of this area known as the ‘South Atlantic Anomaly.’

Earth’s magnetic field is vital to life on our planet. It is a complex and dynamic force that protects us from cosmic radiation and charged particles from the Sun. The magnetic field is largely generated by an ocean of superheated, swirling liquid iron that makes up the outer core around 3000 km beneath our feet. Acting as a spinning conductor in a bicycle dynamo, it creates electrical currents, which in turn, generate our continuously changing electromagnetic field.

This field is far from static and varies both in strength and direction. For example, recent studies have shown that the position of the north magnetic pole is changing rapidly.

Over the last 200 years, the magnetic field has lost around 9% of its strength on a global average. A large region of reduced magnetic intensity has developed between Africa and South America and is known as the South Atlantic Anomaly.



More:
https://www.spacenewsfeed.com/index.php/news/4722-swarm-probes-weakening-of-earth-s-magnetic-field

Faux pas

(14,582 posts)
3. Whoa!
Thu May 21, 2020, 05:42 PM
May 2020

That's fascinating and scary at the same time. Mother Earth is mad as hell and ain't gonna take it anymore!

Thank you for posting

lastlib

(22,979 posts)
7. Coupled with the movement of the north magnetic pole--
Mon May 25, 2020, 09:03 AM
May 2020

makes this even more interesting. And scary.
Thanks for posting!

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
8. Why scary? The magnetic field has shifted many times before and it will do so for atleast a few more
Mon May 25, 2020, 11:01 AM
May 2020

hundred million years if not billion so its not anything to be really worried over currently.

lastlib

(22,979 posts)
9. Not worried so much about the shifting per se....
Mon May 25, 2020, 11:58 AM
May 2020

as much as I am about the weakening . But I think the two are related. Death of life on the planet by cosmic rays isn't appealing. (though I'm not worried about it happening in my lifetime.....)

cstanleytech

(26,080 posts)
10. Any fluctuations in a the earths magnetic field or really any such field are hardly new and in this
Mon May 25, 2020, 12:22 PM
May 2020

case they are not a sign that the field is collapsing.
Even if the pole was to shift though today life would survive as its shifted dozens of times over the past 70 million years.

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