Dubh has decided to use his citizen scientist skills to look at the Swarm satellite magnetometer data and determine the rate the Earth’s magnetic field is changing. There has been some fearmonger online about the pace the field is “collapsing,” but up-to-date information is not readily available. Therefore Universal Principle will be serving to obtain Swarm satellite data and evaluate it up to the most recent day and furnish that information daily.
We are currently using an Equal Space 2D grid to represent the Earth’s spherical surface. Equal spacing allows us to calculate a general average field strength despite the Swarm satellites spending vastly more time at the poles. Later we will use a geodesic grid to ensure the most accurate result.
We are targeting the MDR_MAG_LR dataset which is the one for the magnetometer. We get field strength and vector data from the dataset, as well as diagnostic data.
At this point, it appears the magnetic field has been increasing slightly for the last three years. It may have been stepping down rapidly in the first few months of 2019, which we are still investigating. We are attacking all the improbables with forensic data analysis* as we go. Also, older data sets continue to be decoded to include in the study.
Universal Principle is not-for-profit, and Dubh is doing most of this work pro bono. If you appreciate these efforts, please consider becoming a Patreon.
Periodic updates are provided here.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to email Dubh.