NASA scientists are issuing an extreme warning about an anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field known as the South Atlantic Anomaly. This strange phenomenon, which develops between South America and southwest Africa, can affect communication satellites and other space technology.
The strange phenomenon that threatens communication satellites – Photo News
NASA describes the anomaly as a “depression” or a “hole in space” in the earth’s magnetic field. Although they do not directly affect orbiting spacecraft or the International Space Station, they frequently pass through the anomaly area, exposing themselves to risks of short-circuiting technological systems, according to Digi24.
The Earth’s magnetic field protects us from solar radiation, but in the South Atlantic Anomaly, the field is significantly weaker. NASA is monitoring this region, and researchers suggest the phenomenon may be older than previously thought.
Specifically, the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is not a physical trough. It is a region of the sky between South America and Africa where our magnetic field is weaker than it is in the rest of the planet. This weakness isn’t life-threatening, it would have to be much more significant to threaten the planet’s surface, but it remains a problem for ships launched into orbit, according to Popular Mechanics.
Risks and threats to space technology
“The magnetic field is actually a superposition of fields from many current sources,” explains Terry Sabaka, a geophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
The anomaly can result in significant data loss or even permanent damage to satellite components, forcing operators to shut down the shuttle systems before entering the area affected by the strange phenomenon.
The protection provided by the Earth’s magnetic field is essential to prevent problems associated with exposure to high-energy particles from the Sun.
How the anomaly spread
Scientists noted that the main source of the anomalies is an ocean of molten iron inside the Earth’s outer core. The movement of this mass generates electric currents that create the magnetic field, which can be uneven. Studies show that a huge reservoir of rock located almost 3,000 kilometers under Africa disrupts the generation of the magnetic field, causing the weakening effect.
NASA has been actively monitoring the South Atlantic Anomaly for more than 5 years, however, warnings about its development are becoming more frequent.
