The South Atlantic anomaly is a failure in the earth’s magnetic field that is avoided by satellites and astronauts. It will be born at the nucleus of the earth in Namibia, but is constantly moving.
Far above the earth, about 480 km above Brazil, is a peculiar region in the space where satellites work badlyThe Hubble Space Telescope stops working and astronauts avoid space tours.
Called South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) – But also known as the space of the space – this area is a weakness in the magnetic field of the earth, exposing spaceships to harmful radiation and loaded particles.
The magnetic field of the earth, mainly generated by the movement of cast iron and nickel at its outer core, protects the planet from spatial radiation. However, in SAA, the Field is significantly weakerallowing the particles loaded from Van Allen’s radiation waistlines to approach dangerously. This can lead to data corruption, system malfunction or even permanent electronic damage to satellites.
Although SAA represents a challenge for space operations, it also has a protective role. “If there was no saa, there would be a strong radiation Even above the atmosphere, ”explains Professor Yuri Shprits, from the German Geoscience Research Center, a specialist in Space Meteorology.
The cause of the anomaly is in the Depths of the Earth Corewhere the movement of liquid metal creates magnetic fields. However, irregularities in this process led to localized magnetic flow inversions. One of these flow spots exists under the SAA, causing its weak magnetic field.
Researcher Ricardo Trindade and his team outlined SAA’s history through caves originated in NamibiaAfrica, around 1500. Over the centuries, he grew up and migrated west, coming close to South America in the early twentieth century. The anomaly is also expanding and changes position.
“She moves fast. Every five years, you see a difference. And over the centuries, it really changes a lot, ”the geophysicist explains to.
Scientists have long discussed if AAS is a precursor of a geomagnetic inversion – where the north and southern magnetic poles of the earth change. Historically, such inversions occur at irregular intervals, ranging from thousands to millions of years.
Although SAA displays a reduced magnetic field force, current data does not indicate an imminent inversion. Any inversion would require significant core changes, probably taking hundreds, if not thousands, of years to materialize.
Despite its challenges, SAA highlights the critical role that the magnetic field of the Earth plays in Planet Protection Against Harm Radiations. Without it, the atmosphere of the earth could suffer erosion, leading to catastrophic consequences for life.