Mysterious magnetic anomaly over Earth

NASA is watching a Mysterious anomaly in Earth Magnetic Field     

The African Large Low Shear Velocity Province, is believed to disrupt the formation of Earth’s magnetic field. Mysterious magnetic anomaly over Earth puzzles scientists and also risks space technology around. Scientists at NASA are closely monitoring a vast region of weakened magnetic intensity, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), due to the unique challenges it poses for satellites. NASA has been monitoring a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa. This vast, developing phenomenon, has intrigued and concerned scientists for years, and perhaps none more so than NASA researchers. The space agency's satellites and spacecraft are particularly vulnerable to the weakened magnetic field strength within the anomaly, and the resulting exposure to charged particles from the Sun.

From South America to southwest Africa, the SAA has been likened to a “dent” in Earth’s magnetic field or a “pothole in space” by the premier space agency. While it has little impact on life on Earth, the same cannot be said for orbital spacecraft, including the International Space Station, which passes directly through this anomaly in low-Earth orbit. Scientists fear the weakening magnetic intensity inside the anomaly could malfunction or lead to short circuits in technological systems on board satellites if they get struck by high-energy protons from the sun. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), likened by NASA to a 'dent' in Earth's magnetic field, or a kind of 'pothole in space', could create problem for orbital spacecraft (including the International Space Station), which pass directly through the anomaly as they loop around the planet at low-Earth orbit altitudes. During these encounters, the reduced magnetic field strength inside the anomaly means technological systems on board satellites can short-circuit and malfunction if they become struck by high-energy protons emanating from the Sun.

A huge reservoir of dense rock called the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province, located about 2,900 km's (1,800 miles) below the African continent, is thought to disturb the field's generation, resulting in the dramatic weakening effect. This disturbance, combined with the tilt of the planet’s magnetic axis, contributes to the significant weakening observed in the region. "The observed SAA can be also interpreted as a consequence of weakening dominance of the dipole field in the region," said NASA Goddard geophysicist and mathematician Weijia Kuang in 2020. "More specifically, a localized field with reversed polarity grows strongly in the SAA region, thus making the field intensity very weak, weaker than that of the surrounding regions." While there's much scientists still don't fully understand about the anomaly and its implications, recent studies are providing fresh insights into this vast phenomenon. Recent studies reveal that the SAA is not static. A 2016 study led by NASA heliophysicist Ashley Greeley found that the anomaly gradually drifts, a finding later confirmed by CubeSat tracking in 2021. It's not just moving, however. Even more remarkably, the phenomenon seems to be in the process of splitting in two, with researchers in 2020 discovering that the SAA appeared to be dividing into two distinct cells, each representing a separate centre of minimum magnetic intensity within the greater anomaly. But the movement is not its only peculiarity. While its future implications remain unclear, evidence suggests the anomaly is not recent. A study published in July 2020 indicated that similar magnetic disturbances may have occurred as far back as 11 million years ago, suggesting the SAA is not necessarily a precursor to a full-scale planetary magnetic field reversal, an event that occurs but only over hundreds of thousands of years. Just what that means for the future of the SAA remains unknown. 

Though these hits may produce only low-level glitches, they could lead to significant data loss or even permanent damage to key components, forcing the satellite operators to shut down systems before spacecraft enter the anomaly zone routinely. Yet, beyond the risks, researchers see the SAA as a valuable opportunity to probe the complexities of Earth’s magnetic field. “The magnetic field is actually a superposition of fields from many current sources,” explained geophysicist Terry Sabaka from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in 2020. Mitigating those hazards in space is one reason NASA is tracking the SAA; another is that the mystery of the anomaly represents a great opportunity to investigate a complex and difficult-to-understand phenomenon, and NASA's broad resources and research groups are uniquely well-appointed to study the occurrence. Scientists suggest that the anomaly may originate from the turbulent flow of molten iron in Earth’s outer core, deep beneath the surface. This churning motion generates electrical currents which shape the planet’s magnetic field, though not always in a perfectly uniform manner.

If so, that could signal that the South Atlantic Anomaly is not a trigger or precursor to the entire planet's magnetic field flipping, which is something that actually happens, if not for hundreds of thousands of years at a time. With so much going on with this vast magnetic oddity, it's good to know the world's most powerful space agency is watching it as closely as they are. "Even though the SAA is slow-moving, it is going through some change in morphology, so it's also important that we keep observing it by having continued missions," said Sabaka. "Because that's what helps us make models and predictions." More recently, a 2024 study revealed that the anomaly also influences auroras on Earth. With so many unanswered questions, making on going monitoring essential for refining models and predictions.

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Largest Subway Station

 LARGEST SUBWAY STATION IN THE WORLD

Directions overview with arrival time redesigned by Google Maps

 'Ask about place' with directions interface and more by Google Maps 

Google Maps has made a small redesign to the heavily used directions interface that provides an overview of trip details. Previously, Google Maps displayed the trip overview in three dense lines, which left a lot of empty space on the right. The color-coded duration is now split over two lines on the left-hand side, and much larger than before. It’s a good way to emphasize that primary piece of information. Following are the some of the important points:-

Google is reportedly rolling out an "Ask about place" chip which leverages Gemini in the Maps app.

When selecting a place and surfacing Gemini, users can tap this chip and write a query about it for the AI to fulfil with directions, location and other info.

A Maps update was recently spotted as reports claim the app will become more user-friendly with at a glance information.

Google's rolling out some additional Gemini aid to its navigational app; however, it seems there's room for improvement.

As spotted, Google rolling out a new "Ask about place" suggestion chip in Maps. The demo highlights the user's ability to surface Gemini when in Maps and tap the new chip directly above the text field. From there, users can enter a question about the place before submitting. The AI will run through its normal processes before returning an answer to your query. Gemini will confirm that it's discovered the place you've selected in Maps, as well as offer a set of directions for you. This is delivered via a tappable link in the app. Moreover, Gemini delivers additional pieces of information like the place's location, an approximation of how long it'd take to get there and more. New today is “Arrive hh:mm AM/PM” with the trip details, like “Fastest route, despite the usual traffic.”  The final line includes the distance, which is still quite prominent, and other trip details like any toll fees and savings. This redesign applies to all modes of transport, with previous text-heavy screens benefiting a great deal. This approach is less dense and makes better use of that bottom sheet, especially width-wise. We’re seeing this change widely rolled out with version 25.13.06 of Google Maps for Android. It’s not yet live on iOS.

What's strange is that even though Google has started rolling this "Ask about place" chip out officially, the publication claims it's not working a 100% of the time. The feature has reportedly been spotted for "most points of interest," but for those that Gemini can't fulfil, it will let you know. There's speculation Google might shove certain aspects of Gemini's involvement with Maps behind Gemini Advanced. Nothing's been confirmed anywhere yet, so perhaps this is more of a test run than reality for the app. The way Gemini's new chip works in Maps echoes an update Google rolled out for its app last year. Receiving directions from Gemini for Maps a year prior was a little tiring, as users were left interacting with links. After the change, Gemini would conduct all of its work through your attached Maps extension, providing a card similar to the "Ask about place" chip we're seeing now.

Additionally, the AI model would automatically take users into Maps with the delivered set of directions, ready to get going. In Gemini, this is all done by saying "Navigate to [place]" or "Take me to [x]." Most of this has rolled over into the AI's chip in Maps; however, it seems like users are still required to hit the provided link before directions can be delivered. In other news, a more recent Maps update was spotted in development, which involves the app becoming more user-friendly. The app could give users more information at a glance, like available parking, fuel efficiency and ETA. This will all seemingly be delivered to users in the initial window after users set their desired destination in the app. Google's plan behind this rollout is unclear.

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