So satellite operators regularly shut down satellite components when they travel through the anomaly so they don’t risk losing key instruments or the whole satellite. If satellites traveling through this weak area in the magnetic field are hit by energized particles, they can short-circuit, glitch or even sustain permanent damage. Moreover, it’s splitting into two lobes, rather than one large one, which will cause further headaches for managing satellite missions.Īcross a host of research areas, NASA scientists are monitoring the anomaly to prepare for those challenges, as well as how it could affect humans in space.Įarth scientists at NASA are also monitoring the anomaly to see how these localized changes in the strength of the magnetic field could affect our atmosphere. The South Atlantic Anomaly, new data has also shown, is weakening and expanding westward. We regret the error.Earth's magnetic field protects our planet from an outflow of charged particles and radiation that stream out from the sun. Update: A previous version of this article used the wrong units when describing the distance between Earth's surface and outer core. Because the magnetic field is weaker in this region, spacecraft are more susceptible to charged particles that could damage equipment and spur malfunctions. This could, however, pose a problem for satellites and spacecraft in the area. The development of the South Atlantic Anomaly doesn't mean we're headed for a pole reversal, experts say, so there's no need to panic. The last switch occurred approximately 780,000 years ago. We know they've even swapped places at a rate of about once every 250,000 years. "The challenge now is to understand the processes in Earth’s core driving these changes.”Įarth's magnetic poles have shifted throughout Earth's history. “The new, eastern minimum of the South Atlantic Anomaly has appeared over the last decade and in recent years is developing vigorously," Jürgen Matzka, of the German Research Centre for Geosciences, said in a statement. Solar Wind Storms Make Earth's Magnetic Field Sing. To ensure "magnetic cleanliness," there's a scalar magnetometer at the tip of the boom that captures data free of electrical interference from the main section of the satellite. There's an instrument that measures incident ions along the spacecraft's orbit, as well as a 13-foot-long boom, which has a vector field magnetometer and three startrackers attached at the halfway point. Each 29-foot satellite is packed with sensors that measure Earth's magnetism. The constellation is made up of three identical, trapezoid-shaped satellites. Since then, it has revealed key secrets about Earth's mysterious magnetic field. The ESA launched its Swarm satellite constellation in November 2013. Recent measurements taken by the Swarm satellites in the past five years reveal it may actually be splitting in half. This weak patch in the magnetic field has also expanded, stretching west toward South America at a rate of about 12 miles per year. Each white dot reflects a Swarm satellite radiation measurement.Credit: Division of Geomagnetism, DTU Space This ESA video, reveals the location of a patch of weakened magnetic intensity in the South Atlantic.
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