For more than four centuries, the location of Earth’s north magnetic pole has been slowly—but steadily—on the move. What began as a gradual drift has turned into a surprisingly fast migration, and scientists are now keeping a close eye on where it’s headed and why.
A Long Journey
The north magnetic pole is not the same as the geographic North Pole. The geographic pole is fixed where Earth’s axis meets the surface. The magnetic pole, by contrast, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where Earth’s magnetic field points straight down.
Historical reconstructions show that from around the year 1640 to 2020 the pole has drifted northwest — from Canada toward Siberia. For most of this time the movement was slow, on the order of a few kilometres or miles per year.
A Sudden Burst of Speed
In recent decades, however, the motion has accelerated dramatically. Between about 1999 and the mid-2000s the pole’s movement increased from under 15 km per year to roughly 50–60 km per year (approximately 30–35 miles per year) as it pushed toward Siberia.
More recent surveys show that while the pace has fluctuated, it remains far faster than in the past. For example, the pole is now moving north-northwest at around 55 km per year.
What’s Behind the Movement?
The driver of the shift lies deep beneath our feet—in Earth’s outer core, where molten iron flows and generates the planet’s magnetic field. Changes in these fluid flows alter the shape and strength of the magnetic field, and hence the location of the magnetic pole.
Researchers found that two large “lobes” of magnetic flux—one under Canada and one under Siberia—have played a key role. The Canadian lobe stretched, weakened and split, which allowed the stronger Siberian lobe to “pull” the pole in that direction.
Why It Matters
Though it might sound like a remote Arctic phenomenon, the drift of the magnetic pole has real-world implications. The widely-used World Magnetic Model (WMM), which underpins navigation systems in ships, aircraft, submarines and even smartphones, must be updated regularly to reflect the shifting pole. If not, the models will drift out of accuracy.
For example, scientists estimate that if a model were not updated, a ship travelling from South Africa to the UK might end up almost 150 km off course owing to magnetic field errors.
Additionally, the drift alters how Earth’s magnetic field interacts with charged particles in space, affecting satellite operations, space weather and radiation belts.
A Look Ahead
Although the pole is currently heading toward Siberia, predicting its exact future path remains challenging. The system is chaotic — flows in the outer core are complex and not entirely predictable.
Scientists anticipate the pole will continue its journey toward Siberia, but highlight that forecasting beyond a few years becomes increasingly uncertain.
Final Thoughts
From centuries of slow motion to a modern sprint, the north magnetic pole’s movement offers a vivid reminder that Earth’s interior is far from static. The hidden currents in the molten outer core are shaping the magnetic maps we rely on every day—from compass needles and smartphone apps to global navigation systems.
By combining historical compass data, volcanic rock records, observatory measurements and advanced satellites, researchers are piecing together the pole’s journey and its implications. While the change may seem subtle on a daily basis, the cumulative effects ripple through technology, safety and scientific understanding of our planet.
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Sources:
“The Magnetic North Pole Is Rapidly Moving Because of Some Blobs” — Popular Mechanics.
“Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Is Shifting Toward Siberia and Raising Questions” — Smithsonian.
“Wandering of the Geomagnetic Poles” — NOAA / NCEI.
“Rapid Drift of the North Magnetic Pole (200-2025 AD) and …” — arXiv preprint.
“Earth’s changing, irregular magnetic field is causing headaches …” — Phys.org.