No Result
View All Result
Friday, March 5, 2021
Chinese (Simplified)EnglishFrenchGermanItalianJapanesePortugueseRussianSpanish
Near future
  • Home
  • Tech
  • Medicine
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Spazio
  • Transportation
  • Weather
  • concepts
  • H+
Near future
No Result
View All Result

Earth's magnetic field is weakening: satellite problems

An area of ​​depression of the Earth's magnetic field known as the "South Atlantic anomaly" becomes larger and larger, and could indicate a reversal of the magnetic poles.

Gianluca Riccio di Gianluca Riccio
February 17 2021
in Environment, Spazio
Send to FacebookPin on PinterestSend on TwitterSend on Whatsappon Linkedin

Earth's magnetic field is weakening between Africa and South America, causing problems for satellites and spacecraft.

Scientists studying the phenomenon have observed that an area of ​​depression in the Earth's magnetic field known as the "South Atlantic Anomaly" has grown considerably in recent years, although the reason and origin of this magnetic anomaly are not entirely clear. It is not yet a form of reversal of the Earth's magnetic poles, but it is certainly an anomalous distribution of the earth's magnetic field. A thing not without consequences, of course.

Using data on electromagnetism and terrestrial magnetism collected by the European Space Agency (ESA) satellite constellation, the researchers noted that this phenomenon grew by more than 8% between 1970 and 2020.

Maybe you are also interested

Neanderthal, study reveals: they became extinct due to magnetic pole reversal

Dogs use the Earth's magnetic field to take shortcuts

Developed industrial adhesive that melts with a magnetic field

"A new minimum value of the South Atlantic Anomaly has appeared in the last decade and in recent years it is developing vigorously", said Jürgen Matzka, of the German Research Center for Geosciences.

“We are very fortunate to have the Swarm satellites in orbit to investigate the magnetic axis and the development of the South Atlantic Anomaly. The challenge now is to understand the processes at the core of the Land that drive these changes ".

One possibility, according to ESA, is that the weakening field it is a sign that the earth's magnetic field is about to reverse, whereby the north and south poles reposition themselves. The reversal of the Earth's magnetic field, however, would be much faster than expected.

The last time there was a "geomagnetic reversal", a reversal of the Earth's poles, was 780.000 years ago. Several studies conclude that the next such event is long overdue. Typically, such magnetic reversal events take place every 250.000 years.

The repercussions of such an event could be significant, because the Earth's magnetic field plays an important role in protecting the planet from solar winds and harmful cosmic radiation.

Anomaly of the South Atlantic, an area of ​​weakness in the Earth's magnetic field
terrestrial magnetism inversion of the poles

Telecommunication and satellite systems also rely on the magnetic field for their operation. Computers and cell phones may also have difficulties.

ESA warns that the South Atlantic anomaly, this physical shift of Earth's magnetic fields, is already causing problems with satellites orbiting Earth. Spacecraft in orbit could also exhibit "technical malfunctions".

It is not the only hypothesis

A 2018 study published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has come to a different conclusion. Despite the weakened magnetic field, the study says, "the Earth's magnetic field is probably not reversing."

The study also explained that the process is not instantaneous and could take tens of thousands of years.

ESA said it will continue to monitor the weakening of the magnetic field with its constellation of Swarm satellites.

The mystery of the South Atlantic Anomaly has not yet been solved.

ESA

One thing is certain, though: observations from the Swarm satellites are providing interesting new insights into the hardly understood processes occurring at the center of the Earth.

tags: Magnetic field
Previous post

NASA thinks about the nuclear option for the Moon and Mars

Next article

Internet speed is record: reached 44 terabits per second

Gianluca Riccio

Gianluca Riccio

Gianluca Riccio, born in 1975, is the creative director of an advertising agency, copywriter and journalist. He is affiliated with Italian Institute for the Future, World Future Society and H +, Network of Italian Transhumanists. Since 2006 he directs Futuroprossimo.it, the Italian resource of Futurology.

Maybe you are also interested in:

pesticides
Environment

Pesticide "ghosts" haunt organic crops for decades

Confirmed the first space hurricane on the North Pole
Environment

Confirmed the first space hurricane on the North Pole

Electric car is better than the traditional one
Environment

For the planet, the electric car is better than the traditional car, isn't it?

Next article
Internet speed is record: reached 44 terabits per second

Internet speed is record: reached 44 terabits per second

Norimaki's flavor synthesizer reproduces all flavors without using food

Norimaki's flavor synthesizer reproduces all flavors without using food

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Collaborate!

We are open to visions about the future. Submit an article, disclose the results of a search or scientific discoveries, shows points of view on a theme, tells about a change.

Contact us
The last
  • Wolverine, Alphabet's secret project to create superhuman hearingMarch 4 2021
    Alphabet's most pioneering company secretly develops a device that delivers superhuman and selective hearing. After the first rumors, we await developments.
  • Pesticide "ghosts" haunt organic crops for decadesMarch 4 2021
    As in a Dickens story, "the ghost of past pesticides" continues to haunt the fields, even those of organic farming.
  • An implant in the inner ear restores balance to those suffering from vertigoMarch 3 2021
    The modification of an existing implant allows a Johns Hopkins team to counteract vertigo in those suffering from bilateral vestibular hypofunction.

Most read of the week

  • M1, the huge 165-inch MicroLED TV vanishes into thin air when turned off

    M1, the huge 165-inch MicroLED TV vanishes into thin air when turned off

    63 shares
    Share 25 Tweet 16
  • Scientists levitate a plastic disc using only light

    62 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • World population growth will stop after centuries

    3129 shares
    Share 1251 Tweet 782
  • V90 Villa Edition, camper with terrace on the second floor

    225 shares
    Share 90 Tweet 56

Futuroprossimo.it is an Italian resource of futurology opened since 2006: every day news about the near future. Scientific discoveries, medical research, prototypes, concepts and predictions about the future for free.

Tag

Environment Architecture Communication concepts Advice Energy Events Gadgets The future of yesterday The newspaper of tomorrow Medicine Military Weather Robotica Society Spazio Technology transhumanism Transportation Video

Categories

The author

Gianluca Riccio, copywriter and journalist - Born in 1975, he is the creative director of an advertising agency, he is affiliated with the Italian Institute for the Future, World Future Society and H +, Network of Italian Transhumanists.

Collaborate! Are you interested in writing a post on Futuroprossimo? Click here for contacts.

Home / Author / IDEA / archive / Promo on FP

© 2020 Futuroprossimo - Tailored by Be Here

© 2020 Futuroprossimo - Tailored by Be Here

  • Home
  • Contact
  • archive
  • Technology
  • Medicine
  • Transportation
  • Weather
  • Society
  • Environment
  • transhumanism

© 2019 Futuroprossimo - Tailored by To be here

This site uses cookies. By continuing to read it, you consent to their use.