Part of the Carta Marina of 1539 by Olaus Magnus, depicting the location of magnetic north vaguely conceived as "Insula Magnetu[m]" (Latin for "Magnetic Island") off modern day Murmansk. The man holding the rune staffs is the Norse hero Starkad.

The Earth's North Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earth's surface at which the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards (i.e. the "dip" is 90°). The North Magnetic Pole should not be confused with the lesser known North Geomagnetic Pole, described later in this article. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Carta Marina (latin: the book of the sea) is the earliest map over the Nordic countries containing details and placenames. ... Events May 30 - In Florida, Hernando de Soto lands at Tampa Bay with 600 soldiers with the goal to find gold. ... Olaus Magnus, or Magni (Magnus, Latin for the Swedish Stora -- great -- is the family name, and not a personal epithet), reported as born in October 1490 in Linköping, and died on August 1, 1557, was a Swedish ecclesiastic and writer, who did pioneering work for the interest of Nordic... Murmansk coin Murmansk (Russian: ; Finnish: (archaic); Northern Sami: ; Skolt Sami: ) is a city in the extreme northwest part of Russia with a seaport on the Kola Bay, 12 km from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russias borders with Norway and... A rune can mean a single character in the Runic alphabet as well as an inscription of several runic charcters or symbols. ... Starkad, Starkotter, Starkodder, Starkadhr (ice. ... The magnetosphere shields the surface of the Earth from the charged particles of the solar wind. ...

As of 2005 the North Magnetic Pole lay near Ellesmere Island in northern Canada at 82.7° N 114.4° W. Its southern hemisphere counterpart is the South Magnetic Pole. Because the Earth's magnetic field is not exactly symmetrical, the North and South Magnetic Poles are not antipodal: a line drawn from one to the other does not pass through the centre of the Earth (it actually misses by about 530 km). Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. ... The Earths South Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earths surface where the geomagnetic field lines are directed vertically upwards. ...

Polarity

For historical reasons, the "end" of a magnet that points towards the North Magnetic Pole is itself called the "north pole" of the magnet, with the other end being the magnet's "south pole". Because it is unlike poles that attract, the Earth's North Magnetic Pole is therefore physically a magnetic south pole.

History

In early times European navigators believed that compass needles were attracted either to a "magnetic mountain" or "magnetic island" somewhere in the far north, or to the Pole Star. The idea that the Earth itself acts as a giant magnet was first proposed in 1600 by Sir William Gilbert, a courtier of Queen Elizabeth I. He was also the first to define the North Magnetic Pole as the point where the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards. This is the definition used today, though it would take several hundred years before the nature of the Earth's magnetic field was properly understood.^[1] For other uses of the words Pole star and Polestar see Polestar (disambiguation). ... 1600 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... William Gilbert (Colchester, England, May 24, 1544 – London, England, November 30, 1603; less commonly known as William Gilberd) was an English physician to Elizabeth I and James I and natural philosopher known for his investigations of magnetism and electricity. ... Elizabeth I redirects here. ...

Expeditions and measurements

The first expedition to reach the North Magnetic Pole was led by James Clark Ross, who found it at Cape Adelaide on the Boothia Peninsula on June 1, 1831. Roald Amundsen found the North Magnetic Pole in a slightly different location in 1903. The third observation was by Canadian government scientists Paul Serson and Jack Clark, of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, who found the pole at Allen Lake on Prince of Wales Island.^[2] Sir James Clark Ross (April 15, 1800 – April 3, 1862), was a British naval officer and explorer. ... Boothia and Melville peninsulas, Nunavut Territory, Canada The Boothia Peninsula is a large peninsula in the Canadian Arctic. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year (153rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (July 16, 1872 – c. ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Front of the main telescope building Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, located on Little Saanich Mountain, in Saanich, British Columbia, was completed in 1918 by the Canadian Government. ... There is also Prince of Wales Island, Alaska Categories: Stub | Islands of Canada ...

The Canadian government has made several measurements since, which show that the North Magnetic Pole is continually moving northwest. In 1996 an expedition certified its location by magnetometer and theodolite at 78°35.7′N, 104°11.9′W.^[3] Its estimated 2005 position was 82.7° N 114.4° W, to the west of Ellesmere Island, the biggest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands, in Canada.^[4] During the 20th century it has moved 1100 km, and since 1970 its rate of motion has accelerated from 9 km/year to 41 km/year (2001–2003 average; see also Polar drift). If it maintained its present speed and direction it would reach Siberia in about 50 years, but it is expected to veer from its present course and slow down. Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. ... The Queen Elizabeth Islands (formerly known as the Parry Islands) form the northern part of the Canadian arctic islands, lying in Nunavut and Northwest Territories in Canada. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... A year (from Old English gÄ“r) is the time between two recurrences of an event related to the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Polar drift is a geological phenomenon caused by variations in the flow of molten iron (magma) in Earths outer core, resulting in changes in the orientation of Earths magnetic field, and hence the position of the magnetic north pole. ... It has been suggested that Western Siberia be merged into this article or section. ...

This movement is on top of a daily or diurnal variation in which the North Magnetic Pole describes a rough ellipse, with a maximum deviation of 80 km from its mean position.^[5] This effect is due to disturbances of the geomagnetic field by charged particles from the Sun. In physics, a charged particle is a particle with an electric charge. ... “Sol” redirects here. ...

The biennial Polar Race takes place between Resolute Bay northern Canada and the 1996-certified location of the North Magnetic Pole at 78°35.7′N, 104°11.9′W. On 25 July 2007, a Top Gear Polar Challenge Special was aired on BBC Two in the United Kingdom, in which two of the presenters (Jeremy Clarkson and James May) became the first to reach the North Magnetic Pole in an automobile in a race against co-presenter Richard Hammond, who was travelling by dog-sled.^[7] The Polar Race is a biennial race from Resolute Bay in northern Canada to the Magnetic North Pole. ... Resolute Bay is a launch site for sounding rockets at 74°41′ N 94°54′ W. Between 1966 and 1971 at Resolute Bay rockets of the types Black Brant and Boosted Arcas were launched. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The current format of Top Gear is a BAFTA[1] and Emmy Award-winning BBC television series about motor vehicles, mainly cars. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson (born 11 April 1960) is an English broadcaster and writer who specialises in motoring. ... James Daniel May (born January 16th 1963 in Bristol, England) is a television presenter. ... Karl Benzs Velo model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race An automobile or motor car (usually shortened to just car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Richard Mark Hammond (born December 19, 1969 in Birmingham), nicknamed Hamster,(and as of 2007 Princess Diana by Jeremy Clarkson) is an English television and radio presenter best known for co-presenting the television programme Top Gear along with James May and Jeremy Clarkson from 2002 onwards, and co-hosting... Dog sled A dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. ...

Magnetic North and Magnetic Declination

Main article: Magnetic declination. See also: Earth's magnetic field

Magnetic declination from true north in 2000.

The direction in which a compass needle points is known as magnetic north. In general, this is not exactly the direction of the North Magnetic Pole (or of any other consistent location). Instead, the compass aligns itself to the local geomagnetic field, which varies in a complex manner over the Earth's surface, as well as over time. The angular difference between magnetic north and true north (defined in reference to the Geographic North Pole), at any particular location on the Earth's surface, is called the magnetic declination. Most map coordinate systems are based on true north, and magnetic declination is often shown on map legends so that the direction of true north can be determined from north as indicated by a compass. The magnetic declination (or magnetic variation) at any point on the earth is a property of the geomagnetic field defined as the angle that must be added or subtracted in converting between two kinds of directional information: the direction of the needle on a magnetic compass located there, and the... The magnetosphere shields the surface of the Earth from the charged particles of the solar wind. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 753 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1010 × 804 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/gif)IGRF 2000 magnetic declination map. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 753 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (1010 × 804 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/gif)IGRF 2000 magnetic declination map. ... Compass in a wooden box A compass (or mariners compass) is a navigational instrument for finding directions on the Earth. ... The magnetic declination (or magnetic variation) at any point on the earth is a property of the geomagnetic field defined as the angle that must be added or subtracted in converting between two kinds of directional information: the direction of the needle on a magnetic compass located there, and the...

Magnetic declination has been measured in many countries, including the U.S. The line of zero declination in the U.S. runs from the North Magnetic Pole through Lake Superior and across the western panhandle of Florida. Along this line, true north is the same as magnetic north. West of the line of zero declination, a compass will give a reading that is east of true north. Conversely, east of the line of zero declination, a compass reading will be west of true north. Lake Superior, bounded by Ontario, Canada and Minnesota, USA, to the north and Wisconsin and Michigan, USA, to the south, is the largest of North Americas Great Lakes. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ...

Magnetic declination is still very important for certain types of navigation that have traditionally made heavy use of the magnetic compass; see the main article (Magnetic declination) for details. Table of geography, hydrography, and navigation, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Compass in a wooden box A compass (or mariners compass) is a navigational instrument for finding directions on the Earth. ... The magnetic declination (or magnetic variation) at any point on the earth is a property of the geomagnetic field defined as the angle that must be added or subtracted in converting between two kinds of directional information: the direction of the needle on a magnetic compass located there, and the...

North Geomagnetic Pole

As a first-order approximation, the Earth's magnetic field can be modelled as a simple dipole (like a bar magnet), tilted about 11° with respect to the Earth's rotation axis and centered at the Earth's centre. The residuals form the nondipole field. The North and South Geomagnetic Poles are the antipodal points where the axis of this theoretical dipole intersects the Earth's surface. If the Earth's magnetic field were a perfect dipole then the field lines would be vertical at the Geomagnetic Poles, and they would therefore coincide with the Magnetic Poles. However, the approximation is in fact far from perfect, so in reality the Magnetic and Geomagnetic Poles lie some distance apart. The Earths magnetic field, which is approximately a dipole. ...

Like the North Magnetic Pole, the North Geomagnetic Pole attracts the north pole of a bar magnet and so is in a physical sense actually a south magnetic pole. It is the centre of the region of the magnetosphere in which the Aurora Borealis can be seen. As of 2005 it was located at approximately 79.74° N 71.78° W, off the northwest coast of Greenland,^[8] but it is now drifting away from North America and toward Siberia. Iron filings in a magnetic field generated by a bar magnet A magnet is material or object that produces a magnetic field. ... A magnetosphere is the region around an astronomical object in which phenomena are dominated or organized by its magnetic field. ... Aurora borealis Polar aurorae are optical phenomena characterized by colorful displays of light in the night sky. ...

Geomagnetic reversal

Main article: Geomagnetic reversal

Over geological timescales, the orientation of Earth's magnetic field (and that of other planets) can flip over, so that magnetic north becomes magnetic south and vice versa – an event known as a geomagnetic reversal. The Earth's magnetic field has done this repeatedly throughout history. It is thought that reversals occur when the circulation of liquid nickel/iron in the Earth's outer core is disrupted and then reestablishes itself in the opposite direction. It is not known what causes these disruptions. Evidence of geomagnetic reversals can be seen at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates move apart and the sea bed is filled in with magma. As the magma seeps out of the mantle the magnetic particles contained within it are oriented in the direction of the magnetic field at the time. Recent geomagnetic reversals. ... Recent geomagnetic reversals. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic and silvery with a gold tinge Standard atomic weight 58. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Standard atomic weight 55. ... A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater mountain range, formed by plate tectonics. ... The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. ... Magma is molten rock located beneath the surface of the Earth (or any other terrestrial planet), and which often collects in a magma chamber. ... Earth cutaway from core to exosphere. ...

References

1. ^ Early Concept of the North Magnetic Pole, Natural Resources Canada, retrieved June 2007
2. ^ History of Expeditions to the North Magnetic Pole, Natural Resources Canada
3. ^ 1996 Certified Position of the Magnetic North Pole, Jock Wishart, Polar Race organiser
4. ^ ^{a b} Geomagnetism – North Magnetic Pole, Natural Resources Canada, retrieved May 2007
5. ^ Geomagnetism — Daily Movement of the North Magnetic Pole, Natural Resources Canada
6. ^ South Magnetic Pole. Commonwealth of Australia, Australian Antarctic Division, 2002.
7. ^ http://www.topgear.com/content/news/stories/2067/
8. ^ Geomagnetic Field FAQ, National Geophysical Data Center website, retrieved May 2007

The Polar Race is a biennial race from Resolute Bay in northern Canada to the Magnetic North Pole. ...

See also

• Magnetic South Pole
• Shen Kuo

The ceremonial South Pole. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Shen Shen Kuo or Shen Kua (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (1031–1095 AD) was a polymath Chinese scientist of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD). ...

External links

• ucar.edu site
• Canadian site with many useful links
• Map of pole's wandering
• CNN site
• noaa.gov site
• BBC article
• Earth's magnetic field
• NASA "Picture of the day" site