GPS Satellites

A web search will show a USGS site that maps over time the changes in the physical location of the magnetic north pole. It has been wandering all over the place for a good while now. That is the primary reason the US military put the GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites into orbit several years ago. The magnetic declination on their maps could not be trusted and they could not create and distribute new maps fast enough, and should a shift occur during a conflict it would be disastrous. So now, the almost constant movement of the magnetic poles does not impact the military's ability to know where everything is.

Offered by Ron.