Magnetic North - Deviation

[mobeydick]

The transition probably involves a dying away of the field to a small value, rapid migration of the pole, and then strengthening the other way up, so to speak.

Or maybe not, according to some models:

http://www.psc.edu/research/graphics/gallery/CORRECTno_earth.mpg

But, as you say, still being investigated.

Of course, the Earths north pole is acually a SOUTH pole (it attracts the north pole of magnets)....

MD

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Or maybe not, according to some models:

http://www.psc.edu/research/graphics/gallery/CORRECTno_earth.mpg

But, as you say, still being investigated.

Of course, the Earths north pole is acually a SOUTH pole (it attracts the north pole of magnets)....

MD

Nice video; what we really need is a VERY fine-grained record of magnetic fields through a reversal; something like a very long run of varve like deposits. Sadly, ice-cores don't retain magnetic information, or they'd be ideal. Something like the Dome C or Vostok ice cores from Antarctica goes through several reversals.

I'm afraid I am not a practising geologist so I am not as up-to-date as I'd like on these matters! But I am a geology graduate working in a scientific research organization, so I get to hear most of the science news.

And of course, you're quite right!

 

[westernman]

This doesn't answer the OP but it is of interest http://www.pangolin.co.nz/almanac/magvar.php

My set up is to use the fluxgate compass and everything is shown as True.

Only if you set it up with the right variation. A fluxgate compass still uses the earth's magnetic field like any low tech compass.

 

[westernman]

It's also on the chart's compass rose for the local area, and the amount it varies each year, which we all apply don't we.


Brian

Nope. I cannot be bothered with the 14 minutes of variation we have here.

 

[jerrytug]

23N 87W has zero deviation! Thanks Dylan a brilliant applet nice one.

 

[alant]

The magnetic north" pole" has shifted enormously during my time at sea and I believe, on no real evidence whatsoever, that it is on its way to the southern hemisphere.
I also conjecture that the movement is one of the initiators of climate change, but I haven't the slightest notion of why.
And now that someone has mentioned climate change, the cat is really among the pigeons.

I understood, that each year, a canadian guy gets on his dogsled, heads up North, finds the magnetic pole & lets the rest of us know where it is.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I understood, that each year, a canadian guy gets on his dogsled, heads up North, finds the magnetic pole & lets the rest of us know where it is.

About 20 or more years ago, a self-styled "adventurer" made a big splash by walking to the North (Magnetic) Pole. I put Magnetic in brackets because that bit was played down, and he was often reported as having travelled to the North Pole! One of the daily papers took it on itself to debunk his claim, and my favourite quote was from a local at (I think) Resolute Bay: "The only reason to walk to the North Magnetic Pole is because there isn't a bus!" At the time, the North Magnetic Pole was much further to the SE of its present position; this was in the 1980s.