South Atlantic Anomaly Expands Rapidly
Earth's magnetic field weakens over South Atlantic, expanding anomaly by half the size of Europe since 2014.
Why it matters
- Earth’s magnetic field protects life from cosmic radiation.
- Satellites face higher radiation doses over the anomaly.
By the numbers
- Anomaly expanded by half the size of Europe since 2014.
- Swarm mission has been running for 11 years.
The big picture
- The anomaly is linked to reverse flux patches at the core-mantle boundary.
- Magnetic field is dynamic, with strengthening over Siberia and weakening over Canada.
What they're saying
- The anomaly has been known since the 1800s.
- It doesn’t affect ground life but impacts satellite design.
Caveats
- Data from Swarm mission, ongoing for 11 years.
- Findings published in a peer-reviewed journal.
What’s next
- Swarm mission expected to continue beyond 2030.