PLANET EARTH
New magnetic wave type found in Earth’s core
WORDS BRANDON SPECKTOR
An illustration showing mysterious waves (red) moving across the outermost layer of Earth’s outer core
Scientists have detected a completely new type of magnetic wave that surges through Earth’s outer core every seven years, warping the strength of our planet’s magnetic field. Dubbed ‘Magneto-Coriolis waves’ because they move along Earth’s axis of rotation per the Coriolis effect, they creep from east to west in columns that can travel up to 930 miles per year. Using a fleet of European Space Agency (ESA) satellites, a team pinpointed the mysterious waves to the outermost layer of Earth’s liquid outer core, roughly 1,800 miles below the planet’s surface.