One hypothesis behind this phenomenon suggests that large areas of the Earth contain magnetite at a certain depth, which concentrates the lines of the magnetic field
Enrique Soto
"Magnetic anomalies are a phenomenon where fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field occur. They are present in the Sonoran Desert and other locations around the world (South America and South Africa), where regions with a significantly reduced magnetic field have been recorded. According to the scientific community, these anomalies may be caused by rocks or minerals that, when they concentrate energy, become magnetic," stated Rafael Zamorano Ulloa, a scientist at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN).
The professor and researcher from the Department of Physics at the Escuela Superior de Física y Matemáticas (ESFM) explained that one hypothesis regarding magnetic anomalies is that magnetite (an iron mineral) exists in extensive areas of the Earth at a certain depth, which concentrates the magnetic field lines that should be in the air. "It's a mineral that, when magnetized, acts like a magnet, and one of the effects is that it concentrates or absorbs the magnetic field lines," he emphasized.
He further explained that the distribution of magnetic field lines in the air should be uniform, as long as nothing disturbs them. "That's why, at a given time of day, there is an average magnetic field and an orientation of the field lines that determine the North and South Poles," he highlighted.
Zamorano Ulloa noted that magnetic materials on Earth are very common. Magnetism, he said, was discovered with magnetite: one of the stories originates in Greece, another in China, and various accounts suggest that the Mayans were also familiar with magnetite.
He pointed out that areas with large expanses of magnetizable rocks or stones can create an energy concentration effect, according to the laws of physics. "If there is a magnetic field, these rocks become magnetized, but if there isn't or they aren't exposed to one, they remain ordinary rocks," he added.
The Bermuda Triangle
The scientist, who has been a professor at IPN for 50 years, mentioned that magnetic anomalies can span hundreds of kilometers. "The Bermuda Triangle (a geographic area in the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Florida) may include severe magnetic anomalies, causing significant fluctuations in the magnetic field compared to the average, which could disorient compasses and geolocation equipment."
"It may be that in some accidents recorded within the perimeter of magnetic anomalies, communication systems are disrupted because the magnetic component drops to zero. However, this must be highly fluctuating, as not all ships or airplanes passing through daily experience this anomaly," he clarified.
The specialist in electromagnetics, wave propagation, and experimental magnetism informed that "the magnitude of the Earth's magnetic field in some areas is 0.4, while in others it reaches up to 0.8 on the Gauss scale. The magnetic field changes throughout the day, indicating that its origin in the Earth's core is subject to magneto-hydrodynamic variations, so it is never a constant magnetic field—it's always fluctuating."
Magnetic Field: Earth's Shield
Solar and cosmic radiation, he explained, is composed of pure radiation (gamma rays, X-rays, and electrically charged particles, mainly protons and electrons). When a cosmic particle enters the Earth's atmosphere or magnetic field, it is deflected perpendicularly to its trajectory. "As it enters the atmosphere, it also encounters other particles with which it collides. Therefore, cosmic radiation reaches the Earth's surface in a significantly diminished form," he detailed.
Science and technology have advanced rapidly, and thanks to this, the displacement of the Earth's Magnetic North Pole from Canada toward Siberia has been detected. Regarding this phenomenon, the scientist—who holds a PhD in Radiation in Organic Molecules from Florida State University and is a Level III member of the National System of Researchers (SNII) at the National Council of Humanities, Science, and Technology (Conahcyt)—dismissed any cause for concern, stating that changes in the Earth's electromagnetic field have been present for thousands of years, and evolution of species and humans has continued despite them.
Regarding the reversal of Earth's magnetic poles, a topic that intrigues the international scientific community, Professor Rafael Zamorano suggested that it could bring some changes in climate and disorientation in birds and other animals that navigate using the magnetic field. "This occurs because the core (which acts like a dynamo) decelerates, stops, and reverses its rotation. It's not a cataclysmic process; it typically takes thousands of years. This does not affect the Earth's global rotation on its axis or around the Sun."
Finally, the polytechnic scientist—who has published 120 articles in specialized journals—stated that Earth's electromagnetic activity is a fascinating subject that will continue to be studied for many years to solve the mysteries behind phenomena that still lack conclusive studies.
Selección Gaceta Politécnica #176. (July 31st, 2024). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here.
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