Why the North Magnetic Pole is drifting toward Siberia

Why the North Magnetic Pole is drifting toward Siberia

LEEDS, ENGLAND — Scientists now say they may understand why the North Magnetic Pole is moving, according to a new study.

The North Magnetic Pole has been shifting its position from Canada to Siberia, and since the 2000s, the movement has been picking up speed.

Writing in Nature Geoscience, the scientists say there are jets of molten material in the outer core of the Earth, and alterations to the flow are moving the North Magnetic Pole.

According to the paper, researchers utilized the European Space Agency's Swarm satellites to collect the magnetic data needed for the study.

Citing the authors, BBC reports the molten jet is located much further south than the researchers originally thought in their presentation to the American Geophysical Union two years ago.

The study's lead author is cited as saying that the flow made the Canadian magnetic node weaker in relation to the Siberian node, which causes Russia to win the subterranean tug of war for the Magnetic North Pole.