Latest news with #SouthAtlanticAnomaly
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
What? There's a Bermuda Triangle in space too and it is expanding day by day
The Bermuda Triangle has been one among the most intriguing mysteries on the earth that remain unsolved till date. This unravelled phenomenon has been centered around the tales of vanishing ships, lost aircraft, and unexplained disappearances. Despite scientific explanations dismissing these as results of natural forces and human error, the lore persists. Interestingly, a similar phenomenon exists above our planet also, not one of vanishing vessels, but of real danger to satellites and astronauts. Called as the 'Bermuda Triangle of space,' the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a vast region above the Earth stretching from Chile to Zimbabwe where the planet's magnetic field is unusually weak. While spacecraft don't disappear into thin air here, the risk is still high. Satellites that travel through this region experience increased radiation exposure, potentially leading to malfunctions, system failures, and even complete breakdowns. As space research is advancing day by day, understanding this anomaly has become increasingly important. The SAA poses a real hazard to the growing fleet of satellites and manned missions circling our planet. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Successful Way of Intraday Trading is "Market Profile" TradeWise Learn More Undo Scientists and engineers are constantly monitoring it, looking for ways to mitigate its effects. What is the South Atlantic Anomaly? The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) exists where the inner Van Allen radiation belt dips closest to Earth. This proximity results in an area of intensified radiation, and makes spacecraft vulnerable to charged particles from the Sun. Being different from the other areas where Earth's magnetic field deflects these particles, the SAA allows them to come dangerously close as little as 200 km from the surface. This increased exposure causes serious disruptions. According to John Tarduno, a geophysics professor at the University of Rochester, "The lower geomagnetic field intensity eventually results in a greater vulnerability of satellites to energetic particles, to the point that spacecraft damage could occur as they traverse the area", as reported by All About Space. Satellites passing through the SAA are often put into safe mode to protect sensitive equipment. The Hubble Space Telescope, for instance, crosses the anomaly about 10 times daily and is unable to collect data during these periods, which makes to nearly 15% of its operational time. What is the reason behind this anomaly? The anomaly's origin lies deep within the Earth. A reversed flux patch under Africa is weakening the magnetic field in this region. 'Under Africa, at the core-mantle boundary... the field is reversed,' Tarduno explained. 'It is this patch that seems to be causing most of the weak field and the SAA.' The anomaly is slowly drifting westward and splitting in two. NASA's missions, such as the Ionospheric Connection Explorer, monitor these changes to better predict and protect future missions. As space technology becomes more advanced and dependent on electronics, the SAA presents an ever-growing risk. Incidents like the $273 million failure of Japan's Hitomi satellite highlight how devastating the consequences can be when a spacecraft encounters this zone unprepared.
Sustainability Times
6 days ago
- General
- Sustainability Times
'NASA Sounds the Alarm': Massive Planetary Anomaly Detected Spreading Worldwide, Traced to Unknown Forces Beneath Earth's Crust
IN A NUTSHELL 🌍 The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is a region of weakened magnetic field over South America, posing risks to space technology. is a region of weakened magnetic field over South America, posing risks to space technology. 🛰️ Satellites passing through the SAA face exposure to high-energy particles, leading to potential single event upsets and system malfunctions. and system malfunctions. 🔄 The anomaly is dynamically changing , drifting northwest and splitting into two lobes, increasing hazards for spacecraft. , drifting northwest and splitting into two lobes, increasing hazards for spacecraft. 🔬 NASA uses satellite data and core simulations to model the magnetic field's evolution and improve mission planning. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) has emerged as a focal point of scientific intrigue and concern. This vast region of weakened magnetic field over South America and the South Atlantic Ocean presents a unique challenge for NASA and the global scientific community. Originating from complex processes within Earth's core, the SAA is not only a fascinating natural phenomenon but also a critical area of study due to its potential impact on space technologies. As the anomaly evolves, it becomes imperative to understand its mechanisms and anticipate the challenges it presents to our technological infrastructure. Deep Origins and Complex Mechanisms At the heart of NASA's concerns lies the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), a geomagnetic phenomenon both captivating and concerning. This immense region is characterized by a significant reduction in magnetic intensity compared to its surroundings. Far from being a mere scientific curiosity, this weakness acts as a breach in our natural protective shield, allowing high-energy solar particles to dangerously approach Earth's surface. The origins of the SAA are intricately linked to the geodynamo, a complex process occurring in Earth's outer core. Here, the movement of molten iron and nickel generates the magnetic field that envelops us. However, this generation is not uniform. Two primary factors contribute to the formation of the SAA: the tilt of Earth's magnetic axis relative to its rotational axis and the influence of a massive dense structure known as the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province, located about 1,800 miles beneath the African continent. These factors disrupt the magnetic field generation in this region, leading to a local polarity reversal within Earth's magnetic field, further weakening the dipole field intensity in this specific area. 'NASA Uncovers Moon's Hidden Secret': Sun's Solar Wind Revealed as Critical Source of Lunar Water in Stunning Discovery A Threat to Space Technology This magnetic vulnerability poses significant risks to space technology. Satellites traversing the SAA are exposed to high levels of energetic protons, which can cause single event upsets (SEUs). These incidents can lead to temporary malfunctions, data corruption, or even permanent damage if critical systems are affected. To mitigate these risks, many satellite operators take preventive measures, such as shutting down non-essential systems when passing through the anomaly. Even the International Space Station (ISS) crosses the SAA on each orbit. While its shielding effectively protects astronauts, external instruments remain more vulnerable. Bryan Blair, deputy principal investigator for the GEDI instrument on the ISS, reports occasional 'glitches' and resets, resulting in a few hours of data loss each month. Other missions, like the Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON), also closely monitor the SAA and adjust their operations accordingly. 'Nasa Sounds the Alarm': Massive Anomaly Spreads Across Earth, Scientists Trace It to Mysterious Forces Deep Beneath the Surface Dynamic Evolution and Challenges The South Atlantic Anomaly is far from static. Recent data, particularly from the ESA's Swarm constellation and historical measurements from NASA's SAMPEX mission, confirm several alarming trends. The anomaly is slowly drifting northwest, expanding in surface area, and, as observed since 2020, beginning to split into two distinct lobes, creating two centers of minimum magnetic intensity. This bifurcation increases the number of hazardous zones for spacecraft and complicates the task of scientists developing predictive models of geomagnetic conditions. Understanding the changing morphology of the SAA is crucial for the safety of current and future satellites. As Terry Sabaka of NASA emphasizes, these developments necessitate continuous monitoring and adaptation in satellite operations to mitigate potential disruptions. 'NASA Says We're on the Brink': Alarming New Report Reveals Imminent Emergency Crash Risk for the Entire Space Station Anticipating the Invisible To refine their understanding and predictions, NASA combines satellite data with simulations of Earth's core dynamics. These inputs feed global models like the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF), which track the evolution of Earth's magnetic field. These models are essential not only for planning space missions but also for gaining a better grasp of our planet's internal structure. The approach resembles weather forecasting but on much longer timescales, allowing scientists to estimate the secular variation—the slow yet persistent changes in the magnetic field over years and decades. While the current evolution of the SAA is unprecedented in the space era, geological records suggest that such anomalies are not exceptional over long timescales. It is important to note that, according to scientists, the current SAA is not an early indicator of a magnetic pole reversal, a natural but rare phenomenon occurring over hundreds of thousands of years. Thus, studying the SAA remains a vital research area, crucial for protecting our orbiting technologies and deepening our understanding of the profound forces driving our planet. As the South Atlantic Anomaly continues to evolve, the scientific community remains vigilant in its efforts to understand and mitigate its impact. With its potential to disrupt satellite operations and influence our understanding of Earth's magnetic field, the SAA poses intriguing questions about the future of our planet's magnetic dynamics. How will these changes shape our technological and scientific pursuits in the years to come? Our author used artificial intelligence to enhance this article. Did you like it? 4.4/5 (21)
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Is Watching a Huge, Growing Anomaly in Earth's Magnetic Field
NASA has been monitoring a strange anomaly in Earth's magnetic field: a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa. This vast, developing phenomenon, called the South Atlantic Anomaly, has intrigued and concerned scientists for years, and perhaps none more so than NASA researchers. The space agency's satellites and spacecraft are particularly vulnerable to the weakened magnetic field strength within the anomaly, and the resulting exposure to charged particles from the Sun. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) – likened by NASA to a 'dent' in Earth's magnetic field, or a kind of 'pothole in space' – generally doesn't affect life on Earth, but the same can't be said for orbital spacecraft (including the International Space Station), which pass directly through the anomaly as they loop around the planet at low-Earth orbit altitudes. During these encounters, the reduced magnetic field strength inside the anomaly means technological systems onboard satellites can short-circuit and malfunction if they become struck by high-energy protons emanating from the Sun. These random hits may usually only produce low-level glitches, but they do carry the risk of causing significant data loss, or even permanent damage to key components – threats obliging satellite operators to routinely shut down spacecraft systems before spacecraft enter the anomaly zone. Mitigating those hazards in space is one reason NASA is tracking the SAA; another is that the mystery of the anomaly represents a great opportunity to investigate a complex and difficult-to-understand phenomenon, and NASA's broad resources and research groups are uniquely well-appointed to study the occurrence. "The magnetic field is actually a superposition of fields from many current sources," geophysicist Terry Sabaka from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland explained in 2020. The primary source is considered to be a swirling ocean of molten iron inside Earth's outer core, thousands of kilometers below the ground. The movement of that mass generates electrical currents that create Earth's magnetic field, but not necessarily uniformly, it seems. A huge reservoir of dense rock called the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province, located about 2,900 kilometers (1,800 miles) below the African continent, is thought to disturb the field's generation, resulting in the dramatic weakening effect – which is aided by the tilt of the planet's magnetic axis. "The observed SAA can be also interpreted as a consequence of weakening dominance of the dipole field in the region," said NASA Goddard geophysicist and mathematician Weijia Kuang in 2020. "More specifically, a localized field with reversed polarity grows strongly in the SAA region, thus making the field intensity very weak, weaker than that of the surrounding regions." Satellite data suggesting the SAA is dividing. (Division of Geomagnetism, DTU Space) While there's much scientists still don't fully understand about the anomaly and its implications, new insights are continually shedding light on this strange phenomenon. For example, one study led by NASA heliophysicist Ashley Greeley in 2016 revealed the SAA slowly drifts around, which was confirmed by subsequent tracking from CubeSats in research published in 2021. It's not just moving, however. Even more remarkably, the phenomenon seems to be in the process of splitting in two, with researchers in 2020 discovering that the SAA appeared to be dividing into two distinct cells, each representing a separate center of minimum magnetic intensity within the greater anomaly. Just what that means for the future of the SAA remains unknown, but in any case, there's evidence to suggest that the anomaly is not a new appearance. A study published in July 2020 suggested the phenomenon is not a freak event of recent times, but a recurrent magnetic event that may have affected Earth since as far back as 11 million years ago. If so, that could signal that the South Atlantic Anomaly is not a trigger or precursor to the entire planet's magnetic field flipping, which is something that actually happens, if not for hundreds of thousands of years at a time. A more recent study published in 2024 found the SAA also has an impact on auroras seen on Earth. Obviously, huge questions remain, but with so much going on with this vast magnetic oddity, it's good to know the world's most powerful space agency is watching it as closely as they are. "Even though the SAA is slow-moving, it is going through some change in morphology, so it's also important that we keep observing it by having continued missions," said Sabaka. "Because that's what helps us make models and predictions." An earlier version of this article was published in August 2020. Galaxy Caught Turning on Lights at Cosmic Dawn, Stunning Astronomers Did Life Ever Exist on Venus? Scientists Develop New Equation to Find Out. Giant 'Space Tornadoes' Discovered Raging in Milky Way's Turbulent Heart
