Science
Our planet's magnetic field is mysteriously draining, while causing malfunction to satellites and spacecraft
The magnetic field of the Earth is weakening between Africa and South America, causing problems for satellites and spacecraft.
Scientists researching the phenomena have found that the region known as the South Atlantic Anomaly has expanded considerably in recent years, although the explanation for this is not entirely clear.
Using data obtained by the European Space Agency ( ESA) Swarm Satellite Constellation, researchers observed that the area of anomaly decreased by more than 8 per cent between 1970 and 2020.
"The current eastern minimum of the South Atlantic Anomaly has appeared over the last decade and has grown aggressively in recent years," said Jürgen Matzka of the German Geosciences Research Centre.
"We are very fortunate to have Swarm satellites in space to study the formation of the South Atlantic Phenomenon. The goal now is to consider the mechanisms at the center of the Planet that cause these changes."
One possibility, according to ESA, is that the weakening field is a sign that the Earth's magnetic field is about to be reversed by the North Pole and the South Pole.
The last time a "geomagnetic reversal" took place was 780,000 years ago, with some scientists claiming that the next one had been delayed for a long time. Typically, such events are taking place
The impact of such an event could be significant, as the Earth's magnetic field plays an important role in protecting the planet from solar winds and harmful cosmic radiation.
Telecommunications and satellite systems often rely on it to function, meaning that computers and cell phones can suffer difficulties.
The South Atlantic Anomaly is already causing problems with Earth-orbiting satellites, the ESA warned, while spacecraft flying in the area could also experience "technical malfunctions."
A research published in 2018 in the academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that given the diminishing force, "Earth's magnetic field is definitely not reversing."
The research also clarified that the cycle is not automatic and could take tens of thousands of years to complete.
ESA has said that it will continue to monitor the weakened magnetic field with its Swarm satellite constellation.
"The question of the origin of the South Atlantic Phenomenon is yet to be resolved," said the Space Agency. "Yet one thing is certain: Swarm's magnetic field measurements offer fascinating new insights into the barely known mechanisms of the Earth's interior."
