| The Northern Polar Region of Earth is geographically located in the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, and much of Northern Canada and Northern Siberia; but the North Pole itself is as mysterious as the legends surrounding it. It is a very complex location because, believe it or not, the geographic North Pole is not the same as the Magnetic Pole. According to studies, the North Magnetic Pole is actually moving northwest from its position in Arctic Canada. It is hard to explain the pattern of this movement, but suffice it to say that the location of the Pole is affected by various magnetic fields, namely electrical currents in Earth's core. The sun also affects the magnetic pole by emitting charged particles that cause electrical currents in the upper atmosphere when they contact Earth's magnetic field. Disturbances to Earth's magnetic field cause the pole to shift. On some days, it shifts more than other days. The Pole is currently traveling northwest at a rate of 15 km a year. |
