Shifting Magnetic North Pole -RSTV⏱

Source :Rajya sabha T.V

Recently, it was observed that the Earth’s north magnetic pole had been exhibiting strange behavior and quickly moving away from Canada, even crossing the International Date Line last year. As of now, this pole has been redefined by the World Magnetic Model because of its rapid movement. This extreme wandering has caused increasing concerns over navigation, especially at high latitudes.

Earth’s Magnetic Field

Earth’s magnetic field surrounds and protects our planet from the hottest, most statically charged particles that the sun can throw our way. This shield — the natural product of molten ironswirling around the planet’s core – has had our backs for billions of years and has prevented Earth from becoming an irradiated, electrified wasteland.

The World Magnetic Model records those changes. The model is a joint product of the British Geological Survey and the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The two agencies were planning to report changes in the magnetic north pole, as they do every five years, at the end of 2019. But the pole has moved so quickly they had to release the information much sooner.

Scientists have found that the magnetic north pole is moving at a speed of about 55 kilometres every year. One hundred years ago, the pole was located near the coast of northern Canada. It crossed the International Date Line, the imaginary line running through the Pacific Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, in 2017. Now, the magnetic north pole is in the middle of the Arctic Ocean and moving towards Russia.

Why could this phenomenon be occurring?

Researchers have suggested that it may be because of the deeply embedded hydromagnetic waves, the movement of liquid iron in the Earth’s core, climate change, or a combination of all these factors.

The Earth’s physical structure is behind all this magnetic shifting. The planet’s inner core is made of solid iron. But the reason is turbulence in Earth’s liquid outer core. There is a hot liquid ocean of iron and nickel in the planet’s core where the motion generates an electric field.

The Earth itself spins on its axis. The inner core spins as well, and it spins at a different rate than the outer core. This creates a dynamo effect, or convections and currents within the core. This is what creates the Earth’s magnetic field — it’s like a giant electromagnet.

Exactly how the dynamo effect changes the field isn’t widely understood. Shifts in the core’s rate of spin and the currents within the molten material most likely affect the planet’s field and the location of the poles. In other words, the poles move because the convection in the core changes. These changes might also cause the poles to switch places. Irregularities where the core and mantle meet and changes to the Earth’s crust, like large earthquakes, can also change the magnetic field.

Uses of World Magnetic Model

1. The military uses the WMM for undersea and aircraft navigation, parachute deployment, and more.
2. Other governmental organizations, such as NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, US Forest Service use this technology for surveying and mapping, satellite/antenna tracking, and air traffic management.
3. The constant shift is a problem for compasses in smartphones and some consumer electronics.
4. Airplanes and boats also rely on magnetic north, usually as backup navigation.
5. GPS isn’t affected because it’s satellite-based. But airplanes and boats do depend on magnetic north in emergencies.
6. Airport runway names are based on their direction toward magnetic north and their names change when the poles move. For example, the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska, renamed a runway 1L-19R to 2L-20R in 2009.
7. Migratory animals that use the Earth’s magnetic field would find it difficult to orient themselves.

Is Earth’s Magnetic Field About to Flip?

While the rapid movement of Earth’s magnetic North Pole may cause concern over the potential flip of magnetic poles, there is no evidence that such a flip is imminent. Geologists can interpret magnetic minerals in rocks around the world to reveal the history of magnetic reversals on Earth.

Earth’s magnetic poles have flipped many times in its history, with the latest reversal occurring 780,000 years ago and 183 times in the past 83 million years. When Earth’s magnetic poles do flip, it won’t be a catastrophic “end of the world” scenario. From examining fossil records, there is no evidence that a magnetic field reversal causes increased extinctions, volcanic activity, etc.

Note: The phenomenon called Aurora

The magnetic North Pole is responsible for more than just the direction a compass points. It’s also the source of the aurora borealis, the dramatic lights that appear when solar radiation bounces off the Earth’s magnetic field. This happens at the South Pole as well. In the southern hemisphere, the lights are called the aurora australas.

https://www.facebook.com/Aovious1

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India At OIC ☆

Geneva conventions

Geneva Conventions

They are a set of international treaties finalised in 1949, which set down the limits of acceptable conduct in war to ensure that warring parties remain humane to non-combatants such as civilians and medical personnel, as well as to combatants who are no longer participating in hostilities, such as prisoners of war, and wounded or sick soldiers. They have been  acceded to by all countries.

There are four set of conventions in all.
1.The first deals with the protection of wounded and sick soldiers on land during war; 

2. The second deals with the protection of wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war
3.The third applies to prisoners of war
4.The fourth protects civilians, including those in occupied territory.

Additionally, there are 3 Protocols:
1.Protocol I of 1977 relates to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts
2. Protocol II, also of 1977, deals with the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts
3.Protocol III of 2005 is about the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem, of the Red Crystal, in addition to the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

• Authority - The Geneva Conventions have a system of “Protecting Powers” who ensure that the provisions are being followed by the parties.
• In theory, each side must designate states that are not party to the conflict as their “Protecting Powers”.
• In practice, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been mandated under the conventions to ensure the application of the law.
• ICRC visits prisoners, both military and civilian.

Is the convention applicable in the present conflict?

• Both India and Pakistan have been careful not to term the confrontation a war.
• India has specifically said that its airstrikes were a “non-military” intelligence-led operation.
• Nevertheless, both sides are bound by the Geneva Conventions.
• As, the provisions of the conventions apply at the following times:

1. in peacetime situations
2. in declared wars
3. in conflicts that are not recognised as war by one or more of the parties

• This means the IAF officer is a prisoner of war, and his treatment has to be in accordance with the provisions for PoWs under the Geneva Conventions.

What is prohibited under the convention?

• According to the provisions, the nations should avoid the following acts:

1. Violence to life and person, in particular, murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture
2. taking of hostages
3. outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment
4. the passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court

• Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war is prohibited.
• It will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention.
• Particularly, physical mutilation or medical/scientific experiments which are not justified medically and not in PoW's interest are prohibited.
• Likewise, PoWs must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity.
• Any acts of vengeance against prisoners of war are prohibited as per Article 13 of the Convention.
• The responsibility for the "humane" treatment of PoWs lies with the detaining power, and not just the individuals who captured the PoW.

What rights is a PoW entitled to?

• Article 14 of the Convention lays down that PoWs are entitled to, in all circumstances, respect for their persons and their honour.
• In captivity, a PoW must not be forced to provide information of any kind under physical or mental torture, or any other form of coercion.
• Refusal to answer questions should not invite punishment.
• A PoW must be protected from exposure to fighting.
• Use of PoWs as hostages or human shields is prohibited.
• A PoW has to be given the same access to safety and evacuation facilities as those affiliated to the detaining power.
• Access to health facilities, prayer, recreation and exercise are also written in the Convention.
• The detaining power has to facilitate correspondence between the PoW and his family, and must ensure that this is done without delays.
• A PoW is also entitled to receive books or care packages from the outside world.

What about the release of prisoners?

• Parties to the conflict “are bound to send back” or repatriate PoWs, regardless of rank, who are seriously wounded or sick, after having cared for them until they are fit to travel.
• The conflicting parties are expected to write into any agreement they may reach to end hostilities and for the expeditious return of PoWs.
• Parties to the conflict can also arrive at special arrangements for the improvement of the conditions of internment of PoWs, or for their release and repatriation.
• E.g. at the end of the 1971 war, India had more than 80,000 Pakistani troops who had surrendered to the Indian Army after the liberation of Dhaka
• India agreed to release them under the Shimla Agreement of 1972.
• During the Kargil War, after intense diplomatic efforts, Pakistan returned Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa, who was captured after ejecting from his burning Mi27.
• In the present case, Pakistan can decide to send Wing Commander Abhinandan unilaterally, or negotiate his release with India.

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