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How are geomagnetic poles different from geographic poles?
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geomagnetic field
The magnetic field of a bar magnet has a simple configuration known as a dipole field. Close to Earth's surface this field is a reasonable approximation of the actual field.
Geomagnetic poles and geographic poles are distinct points on Earth’s surface, as they are defined by different physical properties and axes.
- Geographic Poles: These are the two points where Earth’s axis—the hypothetical line about which the planet rotates—intersects the surface.1
- Geomagnetic Poles: These are the two points at the ends of the axis of Earth’s geomagnetic field. They do not coincide with the geographic poles because the dipole component of Earth’s magnetic field is tilted relative to the planet's rotation axis.12
The dipole is currently tilted approximately 11° away from the geographic North Pole. Furthermore, while geographic poles are fixed by the planet's rotation, geomagnetic poles and other magnetic features are subject to secular variation and can shift over time. It is also important to distinguish these from magnetic dip poles, which are the specific locations where the magnetic field is vertical.23