Earth's North Magnetic Pole Is Moving Fast, And We Might Finally Know Why

By AYLIN WOODWARD, BUSINESS INSIDER

(Marc Ward/Shutterstock)

The researchers knew that the movement of heat from the planet's interior outward could influence the magnetic field. In general, this happens at about 9 kilometres (6 miles) per year.

But they found that sometimes there are pockets of liquid iron in the core that happen to be much warmer and lighter than the surrounding fluid. If the difference between these hot, less dense bits of fluid and their colder, denser counterparts is great enough, the warm liquid can rise very quickly.

That rapid motion then triggers magnetic waves that careen toward the core's surface, causing geomagnetic jerks.

Read more at Science Alert