Wind General Interest Resource Index

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Background:

We all know from our experiences with compasses that the Earth has a magnetic field, but it wasn't until the dawn of the Space Age that its true shape and size was discerned from satellite data. Flying instruments similar to magnetic compasses, these magnetometers soon mapped out the extent and geometry of the Earth's magnetic field. From some of the links below you can monitor how the strength of this field changes from minute to minute in response to solar disturbances...or to its own changing properties. Where is the Magnetic North Pole? From data recorded during the last 100 years you can see how its location has changed, and pinpoint its current location and seed in 1994. From sophisticated mathematical models available interactively online, you can plot how the components of the field change with latitude, longitude, elevation and time from 1945 to 2000.

Web Resources:

Mission to Geospace
page produced by the International Space-Terrestrial Physics program. They have links to a short FAQ archive that covers many of the basic questions about how solar storms affect the Earth.

Exploration of the Magnetosphere
An illustrated high school-level guide to the nature and properties of the Earth's magnetosphere

Marshall Space Flight Center Magnetosphere Guide
An illustrated primer to the magnetosphere

Current Geomagnetic Conditions
Is there a geomagnetic storm going on right now?

Real Time Magnetogram
How is the magnetic field of the Earth changing right now?

Magnetic Compasses
Here is how your compass bearings change depending on where you are in North America!northeastern Canada!

Location of Magnetic Pole
Where is the North Magnetic Pole located geographically, and how much has it shifted position in the last 100 years?

International Geomagnetic Reference Field
From this site you can input your latitude, longitude, elevation and date and it will give you a prediction from a sophisticated model of the magnetic field of how strong it is with changing altitude up to 30,000 kilometers from the surface of the Earth!!Frames required.

How to build a soda bottle magnetometer for $5.00
Designed by the IMAGE satellite program, this simple but very sensitive magnetometer lets you watch how solar storms affect the Earth's magnetosphere.

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