The magnetic north pole, distinct from the geographic North Pole, has been shifting across the Arctic. Over the past century, its movement toward Siberia has accelerated, peaking in the 2000s, though it has recently slowed. This shift impacts navigation systems and raises questions about Earth’s magnetic field dynamics.

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• Magnetic north is where Earth’s magnetic field lines converge, unlike the fixed geographic North Pole.
• Movement from Canada to Siberia accelerated to 31 miles/year by 2000s; now slowed to 22 miles/year.
• Magnetic field generated by molten iron and nickel churning in Earth’s outer core.
• Navigation systems like GPS, aviation, and shipping heavily reliant on magnetic models.
• World Magnetic Model (WMM) updated every 5 years to track changes; last updated December 2024.
• Strength of Earth’s magnetic field decreasing globally, weakening in Canada but strengthening in Siberia.
• Scientists unsure why acceleration and deceleration occurred; field behavior termed “chaotic.”
• If WMM not updated, navigation errors can grow significantly, e.g., 93-mile deviation over 5,280 miles.
• Speculations about a geomagnetic reversal remain; last occurred 780,000 years ago.
• Next WMM update scheduled for 2030, unless unexpected changes demand earlier revision.