Every few hundred thousand years a routine flip in Earth’s magnetic poles occurs forcing the North Pole to become positioned where the South Pole once was. This flip is known as a Magnetic Reversal and may very well be upon mankind today. Clues within the solar system such as the Sun’s magnetic pole flip, the noticeable weakening of Earth’s Magnetosphere, and the constant wandering of Earth’s magnetic North Pole are helping experts and independent researchers to better understand exactly what changes Earth is going through and how to brace for them.
Due to the fact that the North Pole is traveling at a speed of 40 miles per year in the direction of Russia compensating for magnetic north versus geographical north has become a bit trickier. Fortunately though GPS devices usually automatically compensate for the difference in degrees that magnetic north has traveled however, in case a more traditional form of navigation is being used a few tips will prove helpful.
First determine your location in degrees accordingly to magnetic north versus geographical north or to true north; in other words referring to the geographical location of the North Pole. Most modern maps will have a diagram per region as well as updated state and county maps will include this information also. Depending upon your location magnetic north may fall between two outcomes. A negative declination, that is magnetic north lies west of true north, or a positive declination, magnetic north lies east of true north. Magnetic north is traveling so this difference will vary in a growing amount of degrees between positive and negative for every location on Earth.
In order to compensate for magnetic and geographical north add or subtract the amount of degrees accordingly to your location. An example of this is Seattle, Washington lies 16 degrees positive of true north. That is the magnetic declination is 16 degrees east of magnetic north. So citizens living in Seattle, Washington will have to adjust their land compasses while navigating 16 degrees east of their current location if traveling in a northerly direction. It will be useful to write or sketch this difference onto the map itself.
Although such a degree may sound minor the difference in degrees may result in miles of misdirection and miscalculation while hiking, camping, or even hunting. Especially for the further the distance that is traveled. It is also important to note that magnetic north is constantly traveling and has been noted to have done so at faster speeds in the last few decades. For locations closer to true north the difference in degrees may be increasing every year. If planning a long distance trip involving traveling and navigating while on foot keep this information in mind.
Sources:
“How to Adjust a Compass for Magnetic Declination or Variation.” Barcelona Field Studies Center. Maps Compass Application
http://googlecompass.com/MagneticVariationAdjustment.htm
“North Magnetic Pole Moving Due to Core Flux.” By Richard A. Lovett in San Francisco for National Geographic News
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091224-north-pole-magnetic-russia-earth-core/
“Magnetic Declination.” Abridged from Chris M. Goulet, Montreal, Canada
http://earthsci.org/education/fieldsk/declin.htm
“GPS Setup – North or Magnetic North.” By Blake Miller. Seattle Backpack Magazine
http://seattlebackpackersmagazine.com/gps-setup-north-or-magnetic-north/
“How to Find True North.” By Cristen Conger. How Stuff Works
http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/true-north.htm
