Earth’s magnetic poles will remain where they are for the time being

According to some, the Earth’s magnetic poles are about to reverse. But a new study is reassuring.

The Earth’s magnetic field acts as an invisible shield against the life-threatening and harsh conditions of space. Think, for example, of powerful solar winds that would wipe out our atmosphere without a magnetic field. However, the magnetic field is not stable. At irregular intervals — every 200,000 years on average — there is a pole reversal, with the north and south poles swapping positions. However, the big question is: when will this happen again?

Shortly

According to some, we don’t have to wait long for that. For example, in the past 180 years, the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field has decreased by about 10 percent. In addition, scientists have previously discovered a mysterious region in the South Atlantic, where the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field is rapidly decreasing. This area, where satellites have been damaged several times after exposure to highly charged particles from the sun, is called the South Atlantic Anomaly. And to top it off, there is evidence that previous reversals of Earth’s magnetic field started here. These two things have led to wild speculation: the Earth might be on its way to another reversal of the magnetic poles.

In a new study published in the journal PNAS, researchers decided to test this troubling hypothesis. They did this by thoroughly analyzing burnt archaeological artifacts, volcanic samples and sediment cores – each of which contains information about the Earth’s magnetic field. The study included clay pots heated to more than 580 degrees Celsius, solidified volcanic lava and sediments deposited in lakes or the sea. These objects actually act as time capsules and can tell researchers more about the magnetic field in the past.

Past 9,000 years

Using sensitive instruments, the team was able to determine the magnetism and the direction and strength of the magnetic field at specific places and times. “We’ve mapped changes in the Earth’s magnetic field over a period of 9,000 years,” explains researcher Andreas Nilsson. “We did this using new modeling techniques. This allowed us to make one global reconstruction of the magnetic field with indirect observations from different time periods and locations.”

Debunked

The findings show that we don’t have to worry about the reversal of Earth’s magnetic poles any time soon. Based on their analyses, the researchers state that the magnetic poles will remain where they are – at least for the time being. And with that, previous theories that predicted such a reversal have been debunked.

South Atlantic Anomaly

What about the South Atlantic Anomaly? “Anomalies such as those in the South Atlantic are likely recurrent phenomena related to corresponding variations in Earth’s magnetic field strength,” Nilsson explains. “We therefore believe that the South Atlantic Anomaly will probably disappear within the next 300 years. We don’t seem to be heading for a pole reversal.”

All in all, it doesn’t look like a reversal of the Earth’s magnetic poles is imminent in the short term. But we must not forget that a reversal of the poles is certainly possible. It has happened countless times in the past and it awaits us again in the future. But when? Sadly no one knows…