Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Shifts Toward Russia: How It Will Affect Navigation and GPS?

Every five years, NOAA and the British Geological Survey update the World Magnetic Model (WMM). This year’s update is significant, as it reveals that Earth’s magnetic North Pole is shifting from Canada towards Siberia in Russia. This movement will impact compass needles and navigation systems worldwide, but how?

What Is The WMM?

The WMM is a map of Earth’s magnetic field, providing precise navigational data for military and civilian planes, ships, submarines, and GPS devices. Since Earth’s magnetic field changes over time, the WMM is updated every five years to ensure accuracy.

Why Does The Magnetic North Pole Shift?

Over the past 20 years, Earth’s outer core changes have made the Siberian lobe more active, causing it to pull the magnetic North Pole toward Russia. This happens because molten iron and nickel flow between two large magnetic regions beneath Canada and under Siberia.

William Brown, a geomagnetic expert at the British Geological Survey, explains: “Magnetic north has been slowly moving around Canada since the 1500s. But in the last two decades, it sped up toward Siberia. Five years ago, it suddenly slowed from 50 km (31 miles) per year to 35 km (22 miles) per year, the biggest deceleration we’ve ever observed.”

How Does This Affect Navigation?

Navigation systems, especially those using Earth’s magnetic data, must be updated to reflect the changes in the WMM 2025. Without these adjustments, aeroplanes and ships could face difficulties reaching their destinations.

Do We Need To Worry About GPS?

Don’t worry about your smartphone’s GPS. After the WMM 2025 update, your phone’s map and GPS apps will receive necessary updates from service providers. In fact, they will likely work better thanks to the improved accuracy and higher resolution of the new model.

The update brings a spatial resolution of around 300 kilometres at the equator, compared to the previous 3300 kilometres. This means more precise directions for users. Unless Earth’s magnetic field behaves unpredictably, the new WMM map will be 10 times more detailed than earlier versions and will guide us for the next five years.