Via: Flickr
According to scientists, the magnetic north pole is careening towards Russia at a pace of 34-37 miles a year. The predicted cause for the pole’s increase in movement is a rapidly fluctuating magnetic region on the core’s surface created by a plume of magnetism developing deep within the core.
While movement of the magnetic north pole isn’t unusual, the pace at which it is currently moving is. Since 1904, the pole had traveled average of nine miles annually, until 2007, when scientists noticed a sharp increase in speed.
For poor and/or stubborn old-school explorers, this change in pole location needs to be taken into serious consideration. Because a compass points towards magnetic north, not geographic north, the wandering pole could create navigational problems. As magnetic north distances itself from its regular location near Ellesmere Island in northern Canada, magnetic declination will need to be adjusted accordingly. For example, the declination of Portland, Ore. is 17 degrees east, so if I were to take a true north bearing of 30 degrees on a map, I would account for declination by subtracting 17 (not to be confused with a westward declination, in which case 17 would be added) thus resulting in a bearing of 13 degrees. As the pole shifts, so does declination, making it extremely necessary to remain current on the magnetic locale because even a one degree miscalculation could put you miles away from your destination. To find accurate declinations, go here.
If you’ve got a fancy-pants GPS device, magnetic north doesn’t concern you, although it’s in every traveler’s best interest to be handy with a compass.
Since the core is too deep to be directly examined, it remains a mystery as to how long, fast and far the pole will continue to travel.
Follow me on Twitter @lostcascadia
