Earth's North Pole shifting its place from Canada to Russia at a speed of 60km/year: Study

For a long time, humans believed that the Earth is flat. However, scientific researches and advancements, proved that our planet is round and it revolves around the Sun in its own orbit. Similarly, it was widely believed that the Earth had only one North Pole and the South Pole that are fixed in one place. But, recently, researchers have found that our planet has not one but three North Poles, out of which, one of the north poles is shifting from its original place at a top speed of 50-60 km a year.

The North Pole is moving from Canada to Russia at a top speed

Also Read | Record-size ozone hole over north pole heals due to polar vortex, scientists confirm

Scientists at Leeds University have found that the Earth has a total of three North Poles, out of which one is a geographic pole corresponding to the planet's rotation axis, the other is the geomagnetic pole that best fits a classic dipole and the third one is the North Magnetic Pole, the point where magnetic field lines are perpendicular to the surface. Out of the three, the North Magnetic Pole is shifting its place from Canada to Russia at a speed of 50-60 km per year, as per the research conducted by Leeds University.

This new observation brings us back to Sir James Clark Ross, a Polar explorer who made the first measurements at the site of the Earth’s north magnetic pole. It was two centuries ago when Sir Ross discovered that the pole is shifting quickly towards Russia. A team from Leeds University, recently explained that this shift of the North Magnetic Pole has been caused by the competition of two magnetic "blobs" on the edge of the Earth's outer core. 

Also Read | Experts fear Mars rock samples might bring alien microbes to Earth

This can be explained simply, as the North Geomagnetic Pole is different from the North Magnetic Pole. This difference between the two poles is because the Earth's magnetic fields are not specifically dipolar. However, research has revealed that there is a lesser-known fourth pole which is the instantaneous North pole, where Earth's rotational axis meets its surface and the celestial North pole.

The team of Leeds University revealed that the shift of the North Magnetic Pole is due to the observant change in the flow in the molten material in the Earth's interior or Earth's core. According to them, the altered flow of the molten material has changed the strength of the regions above the surface, causing negative magnetic flux.

Also Read | Russia has 14,000 pieces of debris orbiting Earth, more than twice that left by US

Dr Phil Livermore, leading the team of Leeds University, further explained the situation by saying that the change in the pattern of flow has weakened the patch under Canada and it has slightly increased the strength of the patch under Siberia. He mentioned in a study that this is the reason behind the North Pole leaving its historic position over the Canadian Arctic and crossing over the International Date Line.

Reportedly inspired by Sir James Clark Ross, Dr Livermore and colleagues, over the past 20 years, were able to record this movement of the North Magnetic Pole using data from satellites measuring the evolution of Earth's magnetic field. This research was published by the team of Leeds University called the Nature Geoscience.

Also Read | 'Life' ending explained: What happens after Danny and Calvin reach Earth?

All Images Source: Shutterstock