The liquid iron in Earth's outer core, located about 2200 km deep, is responsible for the formation of our planet's magnetic field. For a long time, it was believed that the main currents moved westward, but in 2010, a sharp change was recorded beneath the Pacific Ocean — the currents began moving eastward. This was reported by Ixbt.com reports .
The newly published study is based on data from ESA's Swarm and CryoSat satellites, as well as the CHAMP and Orsted missions. Scientists analyzed magnetic field changes from 1997 to 2025 and found that in 2010, a large area of liquid iron beneath the equatorial Pacific changed its direction of movement.
This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the stability of currents in the outer core. Modeling results showed that the eastward flow began to weaken after 2020, and its emergence coincided with changes in the inner core. This may indicate a connection between different layers of the planet.
Swarm satellites, equipped with high-sensitivity magnetometers, allow for monitoring the evolution of the magnetic field and detecting rapid changes in the structure of currents at the core-mantle boundary. Such data is crucial for understanding the processes that shape the magnetic field and protect Earth from solar radiation.
Changes in the outer core pose no threat to humans, but are of fundamental importance to science: the magnetic field affects the operation of navigation systems, satellites, and space weather models. Scientists note that the new data provides a fresh look at the dynamics of Earth's deep layers.
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