Earth's North Magnetic Pole

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by wet1, Aug 19, 2002.

  1. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Earth's North Magnetic Pole
    Credit: NOAA

    A magnetic compass does not point toward the true North Pole of the Earth. Rather, it more closely points toward the North Magnetic Pole of the Earth. The North Magnetic Pole is currently located in northern Canada. It wanders in an elliptical path each day, and moves, on the average, more than forty meters northward each day. Evidence indicates that the North Magnetic Pole has wandered over much of the Earth's surface in the 4.5 billion years since the Earth formed. The Earth's magnetic field is created by Earth's partially ionized outer core, which rotates more rapidly than the Earth's surface. Indicated in the above picture is Ellef Ringnes Island, the location of Earth's North Magnetic Pole in 1999.
     
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  3. Avatar smoking revolver Valued Senior Member

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    duno why- I've always been amazed by Earth's magnetic field and magnetic fields in general
     
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  5. Bebelina kospla.com Valued Senior Member

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    Are there ways of calculating when the magnetic pole will be at a certain location, say Sweden?
     
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  7. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    The answer seems to be we can track it and partially predict its course. However movement is erratic moving slower sometimes and faster at others. For more info:

    source

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    source

    Tracking the North Magnetic Pole

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  8. Bebelina kospla.com Valued Senior Member

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    So the estimated arrival in Sweden would be in about 1600 years.
     
  9. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Timely, uh?
     
  10. Bebelina kospla.com Valued Senior Member

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    Must pass this on to my grandchildren. It will be a family tale. But they will of course move to the other side of the globe and miss it anyway. Because who wouldn't want to get magnetized?


     
  11. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    I am afraid you have already missed your oppurtunity not to be magnetized. After all, you were born and live in a magnetized field.
     
  12. mgs Registered Member

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    meaning of earth magnetic pole

    Hi,
    Can you please respond if you have an accurate comprehensive point of view about this theory about the meaning of the movement of the earths magnetic poles, or if you are willing to develop one: http://www.mrinbetween.com/pages/404.html
     
  13. Bebelina kospla.com Valued Senior Member

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    Neat. I can already feel the spoons attaching.

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  14. BatM Member At Large Registered Senior Member

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    Re: meaning of earth magnetic pole

    Somebody's needs to learn about a little thing called a "period".
     
  15. BatM Member At Large Registered Senior Member

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    I assume that, for every movement of the North Pole, there is an equal and opposite movement of the South Pole, right?
     
  16. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Absolutely
     
  17. %BlueSoulRobot% Copyright! Copyright!! Registered Senior Member

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    Will the movement of the North Magnetic Pole, in any way, affect migratory patterns in animals?

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  18. Popcorn8636 Registered Senior Member

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    Could this have something to do with the fact that the earth may wobble slightly on it's axis, possibly due to enormous meteors colliding with us every few million years (like the one that possibly wiped out the dinosaurs.)

    If it does, could that also be the reason that the true south pole is getting slightly warmer?
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2002
  19. Popcorn8636 Registered Senior Member

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    Wet 1,

    Possibly not, wet1. The movement of the north magnetic pole could be caused by many different things; Magnetism occurs when there is an imbalance in the structural arrangement of iron ions. Is it possible that the structual arrangement has changed therefor shifting the north magnetic pole? Or is it from contenental drift? (However I don't think this is likely because the contenents don't move in this peculiar pattern...) Hey, it could even be my theory right above this post!

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  20. bobbapink Registered Member

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    Question was: I assume that, for every movement of the North Pole, there is an equal and opposite movement of the South Pole, right?


    Wet1 replies: Absolutely

    I'm not doubting you Wet1 but is this something you know for sure? (Yea, I know, absolutely sounds pretty sure) For example, if we locate the north's position to a given degree of precision, can we then predict the south's position to that same degree of precision? Is it always a perfectly straight line? Can’t it wobble a bit in the center? If I’m missing a duh factor here don’t dis me too bad; it’s early for me.
     
  21. BatM Member At Large Registered Senior Member

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    Crust Movement?

    Might the reasoning for the movement of the North Pole be not that the magnetic poles are moving, but rather that the Earth's crust is moving over the poles?
     
  22. wet1 Wanderer Registered Senior Member

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    Think about this and I think it will lead you in the right direction;
    all magnetic forces have a north and a south pole. (With exception of monopoles) Bar magnets, which the earth acts like, have a N and S pole at opposite ends. Directly opposed to each other. If one moves, the other must compensate. Magnetic lines of force regard most materials as transparent. I would think that the movement of the poles would have more to do with the continental crust moving over the molten core than the other way around.

    The rotation of the earth acts much like a generator feild. This establishes where the N and S ends come through. If you look at diagrams you will find the movement is very slow. One of the graphics plots in centuries.

    Now we know we can bend poles so that they are not diametically opposed, such as a horseshoe magnet. I think you will find it is not a naturally repeated in normal conditions in natural enviorments. Rather it is a man made effect.

    Bobbapink, I rarely dis folks, so I hope you feel better...

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    Batm, I suspect that you are correct and that this accounts for most of the measured movement.
     
  23. bobbapink Registered Member

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    Thank you. My difficulty with the matter comes with the explaination of what creates the field. I'm still a bit sketchy as to the answer to my original question:

    The difficulties I have regard to a very slight extent the rules forbidding perfectly rigid bodies but to a much larger extent the effect of the field residing in, and generated by a fluid or simi-fluid environment. This, coupled with the wobble of the earth raises my greatest doubt.

    So I did a bit of web research and came up with practically zip (though I learned some things I didn't know). I figure I could actually get the data for both poles and, with a bit of fairly simple math, figure it out for myself.

    But alas I'm too lazy today. Thank's for your reply though - and for not dis'ing me.

    Regards.
     

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