When ‘North’ is not ‘North’

When I was a lad and being taught bushcraft by my dad, we would go into the deep forest and learn how to find north. While there are two ‘norths’ and ‘souths’—one pair [polar north and south] comprise the two points about which our Earth rotates like a top on a spindle with the other pair [magnetic north and south] being the time-honoured hubs of navigation—this story relates only to the second pair.
Dad taught me several ways to find ‘north’. These included … [1] moss grows on the south side of trees—or the north side in the northern hemisphere … [2] align the 12 o’clock mark of an analog watch with the sun, then bisect the angle between it and the hour hand to locate north—NB: digital watches have an inbuilt compass function … [3] use a hand-held compass with a magnetised, red-painted tip on the arrow and it will point north—well, as near to north that it makes no difference. These were among my first lessons in magnetism, though later I had lots of fun playing with magnets and iron filings.
Among the first known compasses were those used by the Chinese Han dynasty over 2000 years ago, which used a naturally magnetised iron called lodestone. The Vikings were the first Western culture to use compasses: by day, their exquisitely designed hand-held or oil-floating sun compass; at night, an ingenious pair of birefringent crystals called ‘sunstones’ [https://tinyurl.com/3afzmycn]. Try entertaining your children by helping them make a sun compass [https://tinyurl.com/2s4hmynu].
But I digress, for this piece is primarily about magnetic north … or north that isn’t really north. As a child, I thought magnetic north and south were fixed points, but they are actually highly variable points on the Earth’s surface near the poles that, in recent times, have begun to move around at quite impressive rates! The attached diagrams show the position of the magnetic north pole [1590 – 1948 = estimated: 1948 – 2020 = observed], and its rate of movement, which has really ramped up in the last 40 years.

 

Earth science is a fascinating branch of geophysics where lots of weird stuff happens, but among the most bizarre is the journey taken by magnetic north … and before you ask, NASA scientists do not believe its wanderings are implicated in climate change: https://tinyurl.com/2r6zv93p
The Earth is [and behaves as] one massive magnet—and we are lucky it does. A good, easy-to-understand explanation of ‘why’ can be found at Popular Mechanics, where an [edited] excerpt explains:
“… our planet is, in effect, one giant magnet ~8,000 miles across. The ‘magnetosphere’—Earth’s magnetic force—is created by the interaction of magnetically charged metals within the Earth’s core [mainly iron and nickel] and extends far into space for thousands of kilometres. This magnetic ‘envelope’ repels the sun’s powerful solar radiation—radiation that would otherwise destroy our atmosphere—and all life on the planet”.
But … the molten core of Earth is constantly moving about. Its liquid outer core of molten iron and nickel churns and moves due to changes in heat and pressure, in turn, moving its crust of floating tectonic plates. As these bump and collide, earthquakes occur, and volcanoes erupt when the molten core breaks through.
This roly-polly movement of Earth’s molten inner core is crucial for generating Earth’s magnetic field, but, as the core wobbles about inside the hard outer crust—think of a punching toy that wobbles about but always rights itself—the poles of Earth’s giant magnet wobble and magnetic north wanders about, too.

Why all the talk about magnetic north? Isn’t there a magnetic south, too? Indeed, there is. Magnetic south is found at the point on Earth’s surface where the Earth’s magnetic field lines are directed perpendicularly downwards. Just as a magnet has two ends—one positive, the other negative—Earth’s ‘negative end’ is deep in the Southern Hemisphere near the Antarctic coast. Just as the compass needle’s positive end points to the north, its negative end points just as avidly to the south. In 2025, the magnetic South Pole is located at approximately 107.24°E and 80.85°S … plug those coordinates into Google Earth to find out where it is!
Until recently, most human activity [and thinking] has been northern hemisphere oriented. The south that we hold most dear has hardly scored a moment’s thought. Ask any ‘northern hemispherical’ about the Aurora Australis and you will likely draw a blank stare: “… you mean the Aurora Borealis, don’t you?” The fact that Earth has two ends often seems to escape notice.
But enough ranting … back to our Earth’s increasingly mobile northern and southern magnetic poles, both of which are a-wandering and which, sooner or later, will inevitably … yes … flip over and reverse!
My initial response to that bit of global geophysics is … yikes! … but there is no need to panic. The sun reverses its magnetic field end-on-end in an 11-year cycle, with its next ‘flip’ due sometime this year. Apart from heightened sun-flare activity, some stunning auroras around the pre-flip’ solar maximum’, and some satellite communications issues, no other significant problems appear to accompany the sun’s polar ‘flips’.

Earth is also known to reverse its magnetic field, though its reversals are rare. While Earth’s magnetic north and south poles are currently on the move, and while our magnetic field is currently weakening, the intervals between Earth’s rare major reversals fluctuate widely and average one per ~300,000 years, with each reversal taking between 1,000 and 10,000 years. As reversals have occurred 171 times in the past 71 million years and the last was ~780,000 years ago, we do seem ‘overdue’ but, stay calm … NASA scientists do not expect an imminent reversal.

While the effects of a total reversal remain unknown—spare a thought for animals like birds, fish and sea turtles whose internal flight and migration ‘compasses’ use the Earth’s magnetic field to navigate—the implications for most life on Earth are unclear. But, as the Earth has no magnetic field mid-reversal, it is a moment in evolutionary time I’d rather not try to imagine!

As for our wandering poles, magnetic north is currently located at approximately 85.762°N and 139.298°E and is moving away from Canada and towards Siberia at a rate of about 55 km/year, so if Trump wants to buy [or capture] magnetic north, he’d better do it soon, or Putin will own North, too!

Data sources:
https://tinyurl.com/2r6zv93p
https://tinyurl.com/yzvtw3dv

John Agar

Feature Writer

 

A word from the chairman

Hello

Firstly, an apology to all those footballers, netballers, runners and walkers who got a soaking last weekend due to my prayer for rain. It was more effective and came sooner than I had planned. Let’s hope our farmers got some and that there is more on the way.
What an amazing weekend it was with the Great Ocean Road Running Festival showcasing our beautiful town and the incredible Great Ocean Road. 10,200 competitors and participants took part in 8 events ranging from the 1.5km Kids Gallop to the 60km ultramarathon. The organisation was professional and flawless moving large numbers of people and traffic around from dawn until dusk with minimal disruption to our town, while providing a much-appreciated boost to our local accommodation and hospitality businesses. Congratulations to the organisers and all the participants. Special mention must go to our netballers and footballers who took on the half-marathon on Sunday after playing in the wet on Saturday.
Speaking of football, our footballers had a great weekend with strong wins over Alvie, especially the Reserves, 164-7. It is good to see we have such a depth of talent. Both our Seniors and Reserves now sit atop their ladders. Well done boys!
******
This week, the draft Urban Design Framework (UDF) for the Point Grey redevelopment will be released by GORCAPA for public comment. Disappointingly, the GORCAPA-appointed Community Reference Group (CRG) was not invited, nor permitted, to make any contribution to the document, and contrary to assertions in the document and media statements, the CRG has neither contributed to, nor endorsed, the draft UDF. On the contrary, having seen the draft document, we have serious concerns that the consultants and GORCAPA are not listening to our community.
The draft UDF has been prepared by GORCAPA-appointed consultants, Human Habitats, who did not engage with, or seek input from, any community groups.
The draft UDF is focussed around a large open plaza which necessitates the removal of half the existing car parking and other integral infrastructure. Given the intention of the precinct development is to attract visitors to the site, the removal of already stretched car parking can only lead to traffic congestion, visitor frustration and increased through traffic. I’m sorry but the only words I can think of are ”It’s madness!”.
While the draft UDF pays appropriate respect to the aboriginal cultural heritage of the site, the only reference to the site’s maritime, tourism, timber and fishing heritage is the retention of the historic tram tracks!
The draft UDF does not show any buildings other than as “blobs” on a page. How can you have a “strategic” plan when the core elements are missing?
The CRG has raised these concerns with GORCAPA but at the time of writing we have received no response.
Now it is your opportunity to have your say. Please use it wisely, and ask yourself the question “Will what is being proposed make Point Grey better or worse?”

Cheers

John

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

June

7 – Lorne Market, 9am-3pm www.lornemarkets.com/

7 – Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Colac Imperials, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm

7 – Author Christine Keighery Reading, Q & A and Book Signing at Lorne Books Tix $40 (drinks, nibbles and copy of book) @4pm

8 – Lorne Aquatic & Angling Club – Major Fishing Competition No 4, Weigh cut off 12.30pm. Free roast lunch for competitors, $10 non-fishing members.

21 – Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Birregurra, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm

July

6 – LAAC Winter Comp No 2. lines down after 6am, weigh in at the Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club at 12:30 followed by BBQ lunch.

19 – Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Otway Districts at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm